CVE-2024-13751 in 3D Photo Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/21/2025
The 3D Photo Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'des[]' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-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 • 02/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-13751 affects the 3D Photo Gallery plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.3. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress installations using this plugin. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject persistent script code into the application's data storage. The flaw is particularly concerning because it requires only subscriber-level access or higher to exploit, meaning that users with relatively low privileges can potentially compromise the entire system through this vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the 'des[]' parameter which is improperly handled during data processing. When user input is submitted through this parameter without adequate sanitization, the malicious script code gets stored in the database alongside legitimate content. This stored data is then executed whenever any user accesses pages containing the injected content, creating a persistent cross-site scripting attack vector. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS flaw, which differs significantly from reflected XSS attacks because the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server rather than being transmitted through a single request. This characteristic makes the attack more dangerous and persistent, as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker with subscriber-level access can manipulate gallery descriptions to include malicious JavaScript code that executes whenever any user views the affected gallery pages. This creates a potential for widespread compromise, as the injected scripts can access cookies, local storage, and other sensitive information available to the browser. The vulnerability also aligns with attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1531 technique for "Account Access Removal" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript," demonstrating how this flaw can be leveraged for broader exploitation activities.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization issues, as well as implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Organizations should conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins or themes that may exhibit similar vulnerabilities. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular monitoring of user-generated content can help detect anomalous script injections. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input sanitization practices and aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for robust data validation and output encoding in web applications to prevent unauthorized script execution.