CVE-2024-12445 in RightMessage WP Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2025
The RightMessage WP plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'rm_area' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 0.9.7 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 • 02/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12445 affects the RightMessage WordPress plugin, specifically targeting versions up to and including 0.9.7. This represents a critical security flaw that exploits the plugin's 'rm_area' shortcode functionality to enable stored cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied attributes, where inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms fail to properly validate or sanitize data entered by users. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level access or higher, making it accessible to users who already have significant privileges within the WordPress environment.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper security measures when processing shortcode parameters. When the 'rm_area' shortcode processes user input, it does not adequately sanitize or escape attributes before rendering them in web pages. This creates a persistent XSS vulnerability where malicious scripts can be stored within the plugin's configuration and executed whenever legitimate users access pages containing the compromised shortcode. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links, though in this case the attack occurs through legitimate administrative access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of affected websites. This means that any user with contributor privileges or higher can inject malicious code that will execute whenever other users access pages containing the compromised shortcode. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts persist in the system and will continue to execute until manually removed, potentially affecting all users who view pages containing the compromised content. Attackers could leverage this to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, deface websites, or perform further attacks within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies should begin with immediate plugin updates to the latest available version where the vulnerability has been patched. Organizations should implement strict access controls and limit contributor-level privileges to only trusted users who require such access for legitimate administrative purposes. Additionally, regular security auditing of installed plugins and themes should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual script execution patterns, and input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including server-side validation and output escaping. The principle of least privilege should be enforced across all WordPress installations to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, and regular security assessments should be performed to identify and remediate similar issues in other components of the web application stack.