CVE-2024-24877 in Wonder Slider Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/08/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Magic Hills Pty Ltd Wonder Slider Lite allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Wonder Slider Lite: from n/a through 13.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2024
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists within the Wonder Slider Lite plugin developed by Magic Hills Pty Ltd, representing a critical security weakness that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. The flaw manifests as improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically allowing reflected cross-site scripting attacks to occur. The vulnerability affects all versions of Wonder Slider Lite from the initial release through version 13.9, indicating a prolonged period during which the plugin remained susceptible to this type of attack vector. Reflected XSS occurs when malicious scripts are reflected off a web server to a victim's browser, typically through manipulated URLs or form inputs that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows threat actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a user's browser session. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs that contain script payloads, which are then reflected back to users who click on these links or visit compromised web pages. When a user interacts with a vulnerable page, the malicious script executes in their browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, or redirection to malicious websites. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the attack payload is typically embedded in the URL parameters or form inputs, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that do not properly validate or sanitize user input before rendering it in HTML output.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability represents a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices within the Wonder Slider Lite plugin. The attack surface is broad as any page utilizing the plugin's functionality could potentially serve as an entry point for malicious activity. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests inadequate security testing or code review processes during the plugin's development lifecycle. Organizations using Wonder Slider Lite are at risk of having their users' sessions compromised, potentially leading to unauthorized access to WordPress administrative panels or other sensitive data. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for code injection, specifically under the T1059.007 sub-technique for scripting languages, where attackers leverage XSS vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the victim's browser context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Wonder Slider Lite plugin to the latest version that addresses the XSS flaw. Administrators should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. Web Application Firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering suspicious input patterns, though this should not replace proper code-level fixes. Regular security audits and penetration testing of WordPress installations should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or themes. Users should be educated about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites, as social engineering remains a common delivery method for XSS attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect web applications from persistent security threats.