CVE-2024-1806 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, 4.15.1 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1806 affects the ProfilePress plugin for WordPress, a widely used membership management solution that provides ecommerce functionality, user registration forms, login systems, and content restriction capabilities. This plugin serves as a critical component for WordPress websites seeking to implement user authentication and membership-based access control, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit weaknesses in user management systems. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's shortcode implementation and impacts all versions up to and including 4.15.1, representing a significant security risk for websites relying on this membership solution.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's shortcode processing functionality. When administrators or users with contributor-level permissions create or modify content using ProfilePress shortcodes, the plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied attributes before incorporating them into generated HTML output. This deficiency creates a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability where malicious scripts can be permanently stored within the plugin's configuration or content areas. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level privileges, which are commonly granted to trusted users who may not be fully security-aware, making exploitation more likely in real-world scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts in the context of affected websites. When legitimate users access pages containing the injected scripts, these malicious payloads can perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, defacement of content, or redirection to malicious sites. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once injected, the malicious scripts persist and execute automatically whenever affected pages are loaded, potentially compromising multiple users over extended periods. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a significant weakness in the plugin's input validation and output encoding mechanisms.
The threat landscape for this vulnerability is particularly dangerous given that contributor-level permissions are commonly granted to users who may not fully understand the security implications of their actions. Attackers can leverage this privilege level to inject malicious code that targets other users with lower privileges, potentially escalating their access to higher-level accounts. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers scripting through web shells, and demonstrates how seemingly legitimate plugin functionality can be weaponized for malicious purposes. Organizations using ProfilePress plugin versions 4.15.1 and earlier should immediately implement mitigation strategies including plugin updates, input validation hardening, and monitoring for suspicious shortcode usage patterns.
Mitigation efforts should prioritize immediate patching of the ProfilePress plugin to version 4.15.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement strict input validation policies for shortcode attributes, enforce proper output escaping mechanisms, and consider implementing content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regular security audits of plugin configurations and user permissions should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual shortcode modifications or script injection attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output escaping in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content and administrative configurations, as outlined in security frameworks such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.