CVE-2024-12162 in Video & Photo Gallery for Ultimate Member Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
The Video & Photo Gallery for Ultimate Member plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'page' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.1 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 • 02/18/2025
The Video & Photo Gallery for Ultimate Member plugin presents a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects all versions up to and including 1.1.1 within the WordPress ecosystem. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of the 'page' parameter. The flaw exists in the plugin's core functionality where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into web responses without proper sanitization, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into web pages.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the scope of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that malicious scripts are reflected back to users from the web server, typically through a crafted URL that includes the malicious payload. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing specially formatted URLs containing script code that gets executed when victims click on links or visit compromised pages. This particular vulnerability affects the plugin's page parameter handling, where the 'page' parameter is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web responses, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress sites utilizing the affected plugin, as it creates an attack surface that requires no authentication from the attacker. Unauthenticated threat actors can craft malicious links that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, execute arbitrary scripts in the victims' browsers. This could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of website content, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's exploitation requires social engineering to convince users to click on crafted links, but once triggered, the attack can persist as long as the malicious code remains embedded in the page parameter handling.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with the techniques documented in the ATT&CK framework under T1566, specifically the initial access phase where adversaries use malicious links to compromise user systems. The reflected XSS vulnerability allows attackers to execute scripts in the context of the victim's browser, potentially enabling them to access sensitive cookies, session tokens, or other browser-stored data. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting or privilege escalation within the compromised user's session. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation means that even casual visitors to a compromised website could become targets of such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the reflected XSS issue through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Administrators should also implement content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on their websites. Additional protective measures include monitoring for suspicious URL patterns and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and user education about recognizing potentially malicious links should be emphasized to reduce successful social engineering attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output escaping in preventing XSS attacks, as outlined in various security standards and best practices for web application development.