CVE-2024-2872 in socialdriver-framework Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/01/2024
The socialdriver-framework WordPress plugin before 2024.04.30 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as contributor to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed (for example in multisite setup)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-2872 affects the socialdriver-framework WordPress plugin version prior to 2024.04.30 and represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security model of WordPress installations. This issue specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings without proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms, creating a pathway for attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's data storage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows users with contributor-level privileges to execute XSS attacks despite the presence of security measures designed to prevent such exploits. In WordPress multisite environments where the unfiltered_html capability is typically restricted to prevent script injection, this vulnerability effectively bypasses those protections, demonstrating a fundamental flaw in the plugin's input validation architecture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input within its settings management system. When contributors or other high-privilege users with limited capabilities submit data through the plugin's interface, the application stores this information without adequate escaping of potentially malicious content. This stored data is then subsequently rendered in web pages without proper context-based output escaping, creating an environment where cross-site scripting can occur. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, specifically highlighting the stored variant where malicious scripts are permanently stored and executed when other users view the affected content. The flaw operates at the application layer and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege, as it allows lower-privilege users to bypass normal security restrictions typically enforced by WordPress's capability system.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-2872 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation within the affected WordPress environment. In multisite configurations, where security boundaries are critical for protecting individual sites from each other, this vulnerability creates a potential attack vector that could compromise the entire network. The vulnerability's exploitation is particularly dangerous because it targets the plugin's settings management rather than direct user interface elements, making detection more difficult and potentially allowing attackers to remain undetected for extended periods. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts that would execute whenever other users access the plugin's settings or related pages, potentially capturing sensitive information or redirecting users to malicious sites.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by updating to the patched version 2024.04.30 or later of the socialdriver-framework plugin. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive security auditing of all installed plugins to identify similar sanitization issues, particularly in components that handle user input or settings management. Security teams should implement monitoring for unusual plugin activity and user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, which are fundamental to the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application attacks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities that might not be immediately patched or discovered. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that all components of the WordPress ecosystem maintain proper security hygiene.