CVE-2024-13331 in Dream Carousel Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/04/2025
The WP Dream Carousel WordPress plugin through 1.0.1b 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 • 05/14/2025
The WP Dream Carousel WordPress plugin version 1.0.1b contains a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that poses significant security risks to WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an attack vector that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browsers of unsuspecting users. The flaw specifically affects the plugin's handling of user-supplied parameters that are subsequently reflected back to the browser without adequate sanitization measures. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration standard CWE-79, this vulnerability represents a classic reflected cross-site scripting weakness where malicious payloads are injected through web application input fields and then executed in the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can target high-privilege users such as administrators, making it a prime candidate for privilege escalation attacks and potential full system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious actor crafts a specially crafted URL containing malicious script code and sends it to a targeted user, typically an administrator. When the administrator clicks on the malicious link, the script code becomes part of the page's HTML output and executes in the administrator's browser context. This reflected XSS vulnerability allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of the victim, including stealing session cookies, modifying page content, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even gaining administrative access to the WordPress installation. The attack requires user interaction through clicking a malicious link, making it a client-side vulnerability that leverages social engineering techniques. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script is not stored on the server but is instead reflected back from the web application in response to the user's input, which makes it particularly challenging to detect and prevent without proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates potential pathways for more severe security breaches within WordPress environments. When administrators are targeted by this XSS attack, the attacker can exploit the elevated privileges to manipulate the WordPress configuration, install malicious plugins, modify user permissions, or access sensitive data. The vulnerability's potential for privilege escalation makes it particularly dangerous in multi-user WordPress environments where administrators have extensive control over the site's functionality and content management. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under techniques such as T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) for initial access, followed by T1548.001 (Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Bypass User Account Control) for privilege escalation. The attack surface is further expanded because WordPress administrators often have access to sensitive system information and can perform administrative functions that would be impossible for regular users to accomplish.
Organizations using the WP Dream Carousel plugin should immediately implement mitigations to protect against this reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the plugin if one is available, as this addresses the root cause of the sanitization and escaping issues. In the absence of an official patch, administrators should implement input validation measures on the web server level, including the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution and prevent malicious payloads from being executed. Additionally, regular monitoring of user access logs for suspicious activity and implementing web application firewalls can help detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability. The security team should also conduct user education programs to raise awareness about phishing attempts and malicious links that could exploit this vulnerability. According to industry best practices and the OWASP Top Ten Project, reflected XSS vulnerabilities should be addressed through proper input validation, output encoding, and the implementation of security headers. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other WordPress plugins and themes, as the WP Dream Carousel vulnerability serves as an indicator of potential security weaknesses in the broader WordPress ecosystem that may be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data.