CVE-2024-13114 in WP Projects Portfolio with Client Testimonials Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/04/2025
The WP Projects Portfolio with Client Testimonials WordPress plugin through 3.0 does not sanitise and escape a parameter before outputting it back in the page, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting which could be used against high privilege users such as admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2025
The WP Projects Portfolio with Client Testimonials WordPress plugin version 3.0 and earlier contains a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that poses significant security risks to WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitise and escape user-supplied input parameters before rendering them in web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary scripts into the browser of unsuspecting users.
The technical flaw manifests when the plugin processes a parameter that is directly reflected back to users without adequate input validation or output sanitisation. This creates a classic reflected xss vulnerability where an attacker can craft a malicious URL containing script code that gets executed in the victim's browser when the page is loaded. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited against high-privilege users such as administrators, potentially allowing attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, or perform unauthorized actions within the WordPress admin interface.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a serious threat to WordPress security infrastructure as it enables attackers to target privileged users who maintain administrative access to the website. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation typically requires social engineering to convince victims to click on malicious links, but once executed, the attack can have severe consequences including complete administrative compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the affected WordPress environment. 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.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 3.1 or later, which should contain the necessary sanitisation and escaping mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices throughout their WordPress installations, including the use of Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious user activities and unusual parameter patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation. Regular security audits of all installed WordPress plugins and themes are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities, and administrators should maintain updated security practices including regular backups and privileged access monitoring to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities.