CVE-2024-2263 in Themify Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2024
Themify WordPress plugin before 1.4.4 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 • 04/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-2263 affects the Themify WordPress plugin version 1.4.3 and earlier, presenting a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that poses significant risks to administrative users. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's codebase, specifically in how it handles user-supplied parameters. The vulnerability exists in the plugin's handling of HTTP request parameters that are subsequently echoed back to users without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. When malicious actors craft specially formatted URLs containing script payloads, these scripts execute in the context of authenticated admin sessions, potentially enabling complete compromise of affected WordPress installations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The flaw occurs when the plugin fails to properly escape output data before rendering it in HTML contexts, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code. This reflected XSS vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's administrative interface where high-privilege users are most likely to interact with the system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious URLs that contain script payloads, which are then reflected back to the admin user's browser when they visit the compromised page. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through social engineering techniques, email phishing campaigns, or compromised websites that direct users to malicious URLs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to perform administrative actions on behalf of compromised users. When high-privilege administrators interact with maliciously crafted URLs, the reflected scripts can execute in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, modify plugin settings, access sensitive data, or even install backdoors. This vulnerability represents a significant threat to WordPress security ecosystems, particularly in environments where administrators frequently interact with external links or where users may inadvertently click on malicious content. The risk is amplified because the vulnerability affects the plugin's administrative interfaces, meaning that successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack payload does not need to be stored on the server, making it more difficult to detect and mitigate compared to stored XSS vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-2263 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the sanitization and escaping issues. Organizations should also implement additional protective measures including content security policy headers to limit script execution, regular monitoring of web application logs for suspicious activity, and user education about phishing and social engineering attacks. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 highlights the importance of defending against spearphishing campaigns that could deliver malicious URLs. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and input validation rules to detect and block suspicious parameter patterns. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other instances of similar issues within their WordPress environments, as this vulnerability demonstrates weaknesses in the plugin's input handling and output escaping mechanisms. Regular security audits and patch management processes are essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other WordPress plugins and themes that may exhibit the same improper sanitization patterns.