CVE-2024-12491 in SimplyRETS Real Estate IDX Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2025
The SimplyRETS Real Estate IDX plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'sr_search_form' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.11.2 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 • 02/14/2025
The SimplyRETS Real Estate IDX plugin for WordPress presents a significant security vulnerability classified as CVE-2024-12491, affecting all versions up to and including 2.11.2. This vulnerability manifests as a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the plugin's 'sr_search_form' shortcode implementation, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by authenticated attackers possessing contributor-level privileges or higher. The flaw fundamentally stems from inadequate input sanitization mechanisms and insufficient output escaping procedures that fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied attributes before processing them within the plugin's shortcode functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of shortcode attributes that are processed by the plugin's search form functionality. When authenticated users with contributor permissions or above submit malicious input through these attributes, the insufficient sanitization allows malicious scripts to be stored within the plugin's processing mechanisms. These stored scripts then execute whenever legitimate users access pages containing the injected content, creating a persistent cross-site scripting attack vector that can be leveraged for various malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and unauthorized privilege escalation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a critical risk to WordPress installations utilizing the SimplyRETS plugin, particularly those with multiple user roles or contributor-level access. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that malicious scripts can persist indefinitely until manually removed, potentially affecting all users who access pages containing the compromised shortcode. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to steal user credentials, manipulate website content, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users with the privileges of the compromised account. The vulnerability's accessibility to contributor-level users significantly broadens the attack surface, as many WordPress installations may have multiple contributors with varying levels of security awareness.
The security implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate exploitation to encompass long-term persistence and potential privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. According to CWE classification, this represents a stored XSS vulnerability (CWE-89) that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, while the ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as the vulnerability enables attackers to craft malicious payloads that can be delivered through legitimate plugin functionality. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including plugin version updates, input validation enforcement, and comprehensive user access reviews to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation and ensure the integrity of their WordPress installations.
Security practitioners should prioritize patching affected installations and implementing additional protective measures such as web application firewalls, input validation rules, and regular security audits of plugin functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms in web applications, particularly when handling user-supplied content within shortcode or template processing systems. Organizations must also consider the broader implications of contributor-level access and implement least-privilege principles to minimize potential damage from compromised accounts, while monitoring for suspicious activities that may indicate exploitation attempts against this vulnerability.