CVE-2024-13327 in Musicbox Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/04/2025
The Musicbox WordPress plugin through 2.0.3 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-13327 affects the Musicbox WordPress plugin version 2.0.3 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that exposes systems to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by unsuspecting users. The vulnerability specifically occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied parameters before incorporating them into HTML output, thereby creating a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. The impact is particularly severe given that the vulnerability can be exploited against high-privilege users such as administrators, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions and compromise entire WordPress installations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) as a common web application security weakness that occurs when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping. This particular flaw constitutes a reflected XSS attack where malicious scripts are reflected off a web server back to the user's browser, typically through crafted URLs or form submissions. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, as the malicious payload can be embedded in URLs or other web requests that are then processed by the vulnerable plugin. Attackers can craft specially designed requests that, when executed by an administrator's browser, would execute malicious scripts with the privileges of the logged-in user. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently click on links or visit external websites that might contain malicious content.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-13327 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative functions within the WordPress environment. When exploited against high-privilege users, the vulnerability could enable attackers to modify website content, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or even install malware. The reflected nature of the attack means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but is instead executed in real-time when a user visits a specially crafted URL. This characteristic makes detection and prevention more challenging since the malicious code is not persisted and can be easily modified for each attack attempt. The vulnerability also potentially enables credential theft, session hijacking, and other advanced persistent threat techniques that can be used to maintain long-term access to compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Musicbox plugin to version 2.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement input validation and output escaping mechanisms at multiple layers of their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being incorporated into web page content. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious requests, while security monitoring systems should be configured to identify unusual patterns of traffic that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regularly conducting security audits of WordPress plugins and themes can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into the system. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1566 technique for initial access through spearphishing, as attackers may use this vulnerability to establish a foothold in the target environment. Regular security training for administrators to avoid clicking on suspicious links and maintaining up-to-date security practices are also crucial components of a comprehensive defense strategy against this type of vulnerability.