CVE-2024-1815 in Spectra Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/23/2024
The Spectra – WordPress Gutenberg Blocks plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's Image Gallery block in all versions up to, and including, 2.12.8 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-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 • 03/28/2025
The Spectra WordPress Gutenberg Blocks plugin presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability within its Image Gallery block functionality affecting all versions through 2.12.8. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied attributes before processing them within the plugin's rendering logic. The flaw exists specifically within the plugin's handling of gallery configurations where user-provided parameters are directly incorporated into HTML output without proper security validation.
Attackers with contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input within the Image Gallery block configuration fields. When such malformed data is saved and subsequently rendered on pages containing the gallery, the injected scripts execute in the context of any user who accesses those pages. This creates a persistent threat vector where malicious code remains embedded within the WordPress database until manually removed. The vulnerability represents a classic stored XSS attack pattern where malicious input is stored server-side and then executed client-side without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of content, and redirection to malicious sites. Since the affected users need only access pages containing the compromised gallery blocks, the attack surface can be extensive across a WordPress site with multiple contributors or editors. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where multiple users have contributor or administrator capabilities, as these roles can modify page content through the Gutenberg editor interface.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a critical weakness in web applications, specifically addressing improper neutralization of input during web page generation. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a technique for code injection and privilege escalation where attackers leverage existing user permissions to execute malicious payloads. The attack chain typically involves initial access through contributor privileges followed by content modification and eventual payload execution when other users view affected pages.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization issues, implementation of input validation at multiple layers including server-side filtering and client-side escaping, and enforcement of least privilege principles for user accounts. Administrators should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers and regular security scanning of content management systems. Additionally, monitoring for unusual content modifications and conducting periodic security audits of plugin installations can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause significant damage to the WordPress environment.