CVE-2024-13825 in Email Keep Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2025
The Email Keep WordPress plugin through 1.1 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 • 03/08/2025
The Email Keep WordPress plugin version 1.1 contains a critical reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping practices. This vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied parameters that are subsequently reflected back to users without proper sanitization. The flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, particularly targeting high-privilege accounts such as administrators. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and escape user input before incorporating it into HTML output, creating an opening for malicious code execution. This issue represents a direct violation of secure coding practices and demonstrates poor input validation mechanisms that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes a parameter that is not adequately sanitized before being rendered in the HTML response. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code within the vulnerable parameter, the plugin fails to escape special characters or remove potentially harmful input. This reflected XSS vulnerability allows attackers to execute scripts in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or privilege escalation. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through phishing emails or malicious links that appear legitimate to administrators. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when targeting admin users since successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data and administrative functions.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a potential pathway for privilege escalation and persistent access to WordPress installations. High-privilege users who click on malicious links containing the crafted XSS payload could unknowingly execute attacker-controlled code within their browser sessions, potentially leading to full administrative control of the WordPress site. This vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire WordPress ecosystem, as administrators with elevated privileges represent the most critical attack surface within the application. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload is executed immediately upon page load, making it particularly effective for delivering malicious payloads through social engineering campaigns.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms throughout the plugin's codebase. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input using WordPress's built-in escaping functions such as esc_attr, esc_html, or esc_url before incorporating parameters into HTML output. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should immediately update to the latest plugin version if available, implement proper input validation at all entry points, and consider network-level protections such as web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that could compromise system security and user data integrity.