CVE-2024-24834 in BEAR Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/08/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in realmag777 BEAR – Bulk Editor and Products Manager Professional for WooCommerce by Pluginus.Net allows Stored XSS.This issue affects BEAR – Bulk Editor and Products Manager Professional for WooCommerce by Pluginus.Net: from n/a through 1.1.4.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/29/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the BEAR Bulk Editor and Products Manager Professional for WooCommerce plugin, which falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting. The weakness occurs during the web page generation process where input data is not properly sanitized or neutralized before being rendered back to users. This allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into product data or other input fields that are subsequently displayed on web pages without adequate filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified as stored XSS because the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access the affected pages, making it particularly dangerous for e-commerce environments where product information is frequently updated and displayed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's data handling routines. When administrators or users input data through the WooCommerce product management interface, the plugin fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This occurs during the rendering process where user-supplied data flows directly into HTML output without proper sanitization. The affected version range indicates that all versions from the initial release through 1.1.4 are vulnerable, suggesting this is a persistent flaw that was not adequately addressed in the plugin's development lifecycle. Attackers can leverage this weakness by submitting malicious scripts in product descriptions, titles, or other editable fields, which then execute in the browsers of unsuspecting users who view these pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution and can lead to significant security breaches within WooCommerce stores. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information such as cookies or authentication tokens, redirect users to malicious sites, or even perform unauthorized administrative actions if they can gain access to privileged accounts. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code persists across multiple user sessions and page views, creating a long-term threat vector. Given that this affects a popular WooCommerce plugin used for bulk product management, the potential attack surface is extensive, as it could impact numerous online stores that rely on this functionality for their operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where multiple users have access to product management features, as it provides a pathway for privilege escalation or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.1.5 or later, which should contain the necessary input sanitization and output encoding fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side filtering, ensure proper HTML escaping of all dynamic content, and establish regular security auditing procedures for third-party plugins. The remediation approach should follow established security practices such as the OWASP Input Validation and Output Encoding guidelines, which are designed to prevent XSS vulnerabilities through proper data sanitization. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded, thereby limiting the impact even if an XSS vulnerability exists. Regular security assessments of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, as this represents a common class of weakness that affects many web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 - Phishing and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, indicating that exploitation could lead to broader compromise of the web application infrastructure.