CVE-2024-11684 in Kudos Donations Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/28/2024
The Kudos Donations – Easy donations and payments with Mollie plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 's' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 3.2.9 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 • 02/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-11684 affects the Kudos Donations plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 3.2.9. This plugin facilitates easy donations and payments through the Mollie payment gateway, making it a common choice for WordPress websites seeking donation functionality. The security flaw manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that exploits the 's' parameter within the plugin's functionality. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into web pages that will execute when accessed by unsuspecting users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the 's' parameter which is not properly validated or sanitized before being reflected back to users. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script content within the 's' parameter and convinces a victim to click on this link, the script becomes reflected in the page response and executes within the victim's browser context. This type of attack falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as reflected XSS where the malicious script is reflected off the web server rather than being stored. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication from the attacker and can be delivered through social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or compromised links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to perform various malicious activities within the context of the victim's browser session. Attackers can potentially steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even deliver more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or browser exploitation. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack must be delivered directly to the victim, typically through phishing campaigns or by compromising links shared in forums, social media, or email communications. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for websites that handle sensitive donation information or have users who might be targeted through social engineering attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin to the latest version where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed. System administrators should also implement proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms for all user-supplied data, following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent script execution, while monitoring for suspicious parameter usage can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to help users recognize and avoid potentially malicious links, as the successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction through clicking on crafted links. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date plugins and following security best practices in WordPress environments, as reflected in the ATT&CK framework's emphasis on web application security and the exploitation of input validation weaknesses.