CVE-2024-24927 in Brooklyn Theme
Summary
by MITRE • 02/12/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in UnitedThemes Brooklyn | Creative Multi-Purpose Responsive WordPress Theme allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Brooklyn | Creative Multi-Purpose Responsive WordPress Theme: from n/a through 4.9.7.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-24927 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the UnitedThemes Brooklyn WordPress theme, specifically categorized under CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. This reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability occurs when the theme fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability impacts all versions of the Brooklyn theme from the initial release through version 4.9.7.6, indicating a prolonged period during which this security weakness remained unaddressed.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input that gets reflected back to users through the web application's response without proper sanitization or encoding. In the context of the Brooklyn WordPress theme, this typically involves manipulating parameters in URLs or form inputs that are then processed and displayed on web pages without adequate security measures. The reflected nature of this XSS means that the malicious script is executed in the victim's browser when they click on a specially crafted link or visit a page containing the malicious payload, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to steal administrator credentials, modify website content, or even take full control of compromised WordPress installations. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attacks can be delivered through phishing emails, malicious links in forums, or compromised advertisements, making it particularly challenging to defend against since the malicious code is not stored on the server but rather reflected through user input. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1566.002 for Spearphishing via Service, as attackers can leverage this flaw to deliver malicious payloads through various social engineering vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-24927 must include immediate patching of the Brooklyn theme to version 4.9.7.7 or later, as this represents the first version that addresses the reflected XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in the future, ensuring that all user-provided data is properly sanitized before being incorporated into web page content. Additional defensive measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security audits of all installed WordPress themes and plugins to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the need for continuous monitoring of security advisories to ensure timely patch deployment across all affected systems.