CVE-2024-2968 in WP-Eggdrop Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/29/2024
The WP-Eggdrop plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via admin settings in all versions up to, and including, 0.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level permissions and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This only affects multi-site installations and installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-2968 resides within the WP-Eggdrop plugin for WordPress, presenting a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the security of affected installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's administrative settings interface where insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms fail to properly validate user-supplied data. The flaw affects all versions of the plugin up to and including version 0.1, making it a persistent threat across multiple deployment scenarios. The vulnerability's exploitation requires an authenticated attacker with administrator-level permissions or higher, which significantly reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious scripts injected through the admin settings will persist and execute whenever any user accesses the compromised pages, creating a continuous threat vector that can affect multiple users over time.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate data validation practices within the plugin's input handling mechanisms. When administrators configure the plugin settings, the system fails to properly sanitize user input before storing it within the database. Additionally, the output escaping mechanisms that should protect against XSS attacks are insufficiently implemented, allowing malicious scripts to be stored and subsequently executed in the browser context of unsuspecting users. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws where input is not properly validated or output is not adequately escaped. The attack vector leverages the attacker's elevated privileges within the WordPress administration interface to inject malicious payloads that can execute in the context of other users' browsers, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability for multi-site installations where the impact can cascade across multiple domains.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-2968 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability's requirement for administrator-level access means that attackers must first compromise an admin account, but once achieved, they can establish persistent backdoors or redirect users to malicious sites. The multi-site installation aspect of this vulnerability compounds the risk, as a successful attack on one site within a multi-site network can potentially affect all interconnected installations. The specific restriction to installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled creates a unique operational context where the vulnerability is more likely to be present, as these installations typically have stricter content filtering policies that are subsequently bypassed by the XSS flaw. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which involves social engineering through malicious content injection, and T1071.001 which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-2968 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to the latest version that addresses the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most direct solution to the problem. Organizations should implement strict access controls and ensure that administrator accounts maintain strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify suspicious administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing content security policies can provide an additional layer of protection against script execution even if the primary vulnerability is not patched. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output escaping in WordPress environments. The restriction to installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled suggests that organizations should review their WordPress configuration policies to ensure that such restrictions are properly maintained while also implementing comprehensive security monitoring for administrative activities.