CVE-2024-13599 in LearnPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2025
The LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in all versions up to, and including, 4.2.7.5 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of a lesson name. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with LP Instructor-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 • 02/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-13599 affects the LearnPress WordPress LMS plugin, specifically targeting versions up to and including 4.2.7.5. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of educational platforms relying on this learning management system. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of lesson names, creating a persistent vector for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and data confidentiality.
This stored cross-site scripting vulnerability operates through a sophisticated attack chain that begins with authenticated access by users holding LP Instructor-level privileges or higher. The flaw allows attackers to insert malicious scripts into lesson names that persist in the database, making the payload execute whenever any user views the affected content. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output escaping. This particular implementation demonstrates how insufficient sanitization of user-supplied content can create persistent security risks within content management systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-13599 extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks such as session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers could craft malicious lesson names containing JavaScript payloads that would execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially capturing cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or even executing commands on behalf of the compromised users. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the LMS platform and could lead to unauthorized access to course materials, student information, and instructor credentials. This risk is particularly severe in educational environments where sensitive learning data and personal information are stored within the platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the LearnPress plugin to versions that address the input sanitization issues. Organizations should also implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious script injection patterns and consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for social engineering, highlighting the need for both technical controls and user awareness training. Administrators should conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations, review user permissions, and implement principle of least privilege access controls to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be maintained to identify similar issues across the entire WordPress ecosystem and prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in other plugins or themes.