CVE-2024-27988 in WEN Responsive Columns Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/11/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WEN Themes WEN Responsive Columns allows Stored XSS.This issue affects WEN Responsive Columns: from n/a through 1.3.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2025
The CVE-2024-27988 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the WEN Responsive Columns WordPress plugin, specifically impacting versions through 1.3.2. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The issue stems from improper input sanitization during web page generation processes, where user-supplied data is not adequately neutralized before being rendered in web pages. The vulnerability enables stored XSS attacks, meaning malicious scripts can be permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages, making this particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple users interact with the platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the WEN Responsive Columns plugin's handling of user input parameters that are subsequently used to generate dynamic web content. When administrators or users submit data through the plugin's interface, the input validation mechanisms fail to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that persist in the database and execute in the context of other users' browsers. The flaw specifically affects the plugin's column generation functionality where user-configured content is processed and displayed, creating an attack surface where malicious scripts can be stored and executed across multiple sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for WordPress installations using the affected plugin, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and potentially administrative privileges. Successful exploitation could lead to session hijacking, data theft, privilege escalation, and full compromise of the affected WordPress site. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that even users who visit the site after the initial attack will be compromised, creating a persistent threat that can affect numerous site visitors over extended periods. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where WordPress sites host sensitive information or serve as platforms for multiple user accounts, as it can facilitate widespread data breaches and unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-27988 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most effective remediation approach. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output escaping mechanisms across all user-facing interfaces, ensuring that all data entering the system is properly sanitized before storage and that all data rendered in web pages is appropriately escaped for the target context. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent script execution, while regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1059.007 for command and control through script injection, highlighting the multi-stage attack potential that such flaws present in web application environments.