CVE-2024-11905 in Animated Counters Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/17/2024
The Animated Counters plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'animatedcounte' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.0 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2025
The Animated Counters plugin for WordPress presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-11905 affecting all versions up to and including 2.0. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's 'animatedcounte' shortcode implementation. The flaw specifically targets user-supplied attributes that are processed through the shortcode system, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by authenticated users possessing contributor-level privileges or higher. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web application security and content management system integrity, where legitimate plugin functionality becomes a conduit for malicious code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws occurring when untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping. The plugin's shortcode processing fails to adequately sanitize user input parameters, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through attributes passed to the animatedcounte shortcode. When legitimate users access pages containing these maliciously injected scripts, the code executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further compromise of the WordPress installation. The vulnerability's persistence stems from the stored nature of the XSS, meaning that once injected, the malicious code remains embedded in the website's content until manually removed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the WordPress environment. Contributors and higher privilege users typically have the ability to create and edit posts, pages, and other content, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where content authors may not be security-aware. The attack chain begins with an authenticated user leveraging their privileges to inject malicious code through the shortcode system, which then executes whenever any user accesses the affected content. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be used to harvest user credentials, redirect traffic to malicious sites, or establish command and control channels. The vulnerability also potentially enables privilege escalation attacks if the attacker can manipulate the plugin's functionality to gain additional system access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-11905 should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization and escaping deficiencies. Organizations should implement strict input validation for all shortcode parameters and ensure that output escaping is consistently applied to prevent script injection. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual shortcode usage patterns or content modifications by privileged users. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as the malicious scripts can be used to execute commands on affected systems. Additionally, this vulnerability relates to T1548.001 for abuse of privileges, as it allows attackers to leverage existing user permissions to execute malicious code. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security audits should verify that all plugins maintain proper input validation and output escaping practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in WordPress plugins, particularly regarding user input handling and the principle of least privilege in content management systems.