CVE-2024-11204 in ForumWP Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/06/2024
The ForumWP – Forum & Discussion Board plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘url’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 2.1.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-11204 affects the ForumWP – Forum & Discussion Board plugin for WordPress, representing a critical security flaw that exposes users to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This issue exists in all versions up to and including 2.1.2, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that utilize this particular plugin. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable entry point that malicious actors can leverage without requiring authentication credentials.
The technical flaw manifests through the 'url' parameter which fails to properly sanitize user input before processing and rendering. When this parameter is manipulated by an attacker, the plugin does not adequately escape or validate the data, allowing malicious scripts to be injected into web pages. This reflected XSS vulnerability occurs because the plugin directly incorporates user-supplied data into its output without proper context-appropriate escaping, creating an environment where attacker-controlled content can be executed in the browsers of unsuspecting users who visit compromised pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker can craft specially formatted URLs containing malicious scripts that, when clicked by a victim, execute in the victim's browser context. This creates a significant risk for forum administrators and users who may be tricked into clicking on seemingly legitimate links that actually contain malicious payloads. The vulnerability affects the entire user base of affected WordPress installations, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread use of WordPress and this specific plugin.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-11204 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most direct and effective solution. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads, input validation rules that filter out suspicious characters, and regular security audits of plugin installations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 which covers Social Engineering through spearphishing attachments, as attackers can leverage this flaw to deliver malicious payloads through crafted links that appear legitimate to users.