CVE-2024-1985 in Simple Membership Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2024
The Simple Membership plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'Display Name' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 4.4.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This vulnerability requires social engineering to successfully exploit, and the impact would be very limited due to the attacker requiring a user to login as the user with the injected payload for execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2026
The Simple Membership plugin for WordPress represents a widely used authentication and membership management solution that has been identified with a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability designated as CVE-2024-1985. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 4.4.2, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin for user management and access control. The flaw resides in the plugin's insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms, specifically within the 'Display Name' parameter handling functionality. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-79 which defines stored cross-site scripting as a condition where malicious scripts are stored on a server and executed when users access compromised pages, making it particularly dangerous in web applications where user-generated content is processed and displayed.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires attackers to leverage social engineering tactics to convince users to access pages containing malicious payloads that have been injected through the vulnerable 'Display Name' parameter. This creates a scenario where unauthenticated attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts into the plugin's user management system, which will execute whenever legitimate users access pages that contain the injected content. The security implications extend beyond simple script execution as this vulnerability could potentially enable attackers to steal user sessions, credentials, or perform other malicious activities depending on the privileges of the targeted users. The vulnerability requires a user to be logged in for the payload to execute, which means attackers must employ social engineering techniques to get users to navigate to compromised pages, making the attack vector more complex but not necessarily less dangerous.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress administrators and users who rely on the Simple Membership plugin for their site's user management. Attackers could potentially compromise user accounts, steal sensitive information, or manipulate the membership system to gain unauthorized access to restricted content. The limited scope of the attack execution means that while the vulnerability requires user interaction, the potential damage remains considerable given that users may not recognize the malicious nature of the injected content. This vulnerability represents a prime example of how seemingly minor input validation flaws can create substantial security risks in web applications, particularly in plugins that handle user data and authentication processes. Organizations using this plugin should consider immediate remediation efforts to prevent potential exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Simple Membership plugin to the latest version that addresses the stored XSS flaw, along with implementing additional security measures such as input validation, output escaping, and regular security audits of WordPress plugins. Administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious user activity or unauthorized content injections. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output escaping practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles, specifically addressing the need for proper validation of user inputs and secure output rendering. Organizations should also implement security awareness training to help users recognize potential social engineering attempts that could lead to exploitation of such vulnerabilities, ensuring that the security posture of WordPress installations remains robust against evolving threats.