CVE-2024-1535 in ProfilePress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2024
The Paid Membership Plugin, Ecommerce, User Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content – ProfilePress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's shortcode(s) in all versions up to, and including, 4.15.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with contributor-level and above permissions 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 • 04/12/2026
The CVE-2024-1535 vulnerability affects the ProfilePress WordPress plugin, a widely used membership management solution that handles user registration forms, login functionality, and content restriction. This plugin serves as a critical component for website administrators who need to manage user access and membership levels across their platforms. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's shortcode implementation, which is a core feature allowing administrators to embed membership-related functionality throughout their websites. The issue impacts all versions up to and including 4.15.2, making it a significant concern for numerous WordPress installations that rely on this membership management system.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's shortcode processing code. When administrators or authorized users insert shortcode attributes into their pages, the plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize the input parameters before rendering them in the output HTML. This vulnerability is classified as a stored cross-site scripting flaw because malicious code injected through these attributes persists in the database and executes whenever affected pages are accessed by other users. The vulnerability specifically targets user-supplied attributes within the shortcode implementation, allowing attackers to manipulate the plugin's rendering behavior through crafted input values.
Attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can exploit this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts that will execute in the context of other users' browsers when they access pages containing the compromised shortcodes. This creates a persistent threat vector where malicious actors can establish backdoors, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and complete compromise of user accounts. The vulnerability affects not only individual user sessions but also potentially the entire website's security posture when multiple users access compromised pages.
The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the ProfilePress plugin is commonly used for membership sites, e-commerce platforms, and content-restricted areas where users frequently interact with the system. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, it remains active until the plugin is updated or the affected shortcode attributes are manually removed. This persistent threat can allow attackers to maintain access to compromised systems over extended periods, making it a significant risk for organizations relying on the plugin for user management and content restriction. The vulnerability also aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications.
Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of the ProfilePress plugin where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all shortcode implementations within their WordPress installations to identify any potentially compromised pages. Additionally, implementing proper input validation at multiple levels, including content filtering and attribute validation, can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. The remediation process should also include monitoring user activity for any suspicious shortcode modifications and ensuring that only trusted administrators have the ability to modify membership-related content. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and additional security layers to detect and prevent exploitation attempts while awaiting patch deployment.