CVE-2024-29759 in Calculated Fields Form Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in CodePeople Calculated Fields Form allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Calculated Fields Form: from n/a through 1.2.54.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
This vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that specifically impacts the CodePeople Calculated Fields Form plugin, creating a dangerous pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within users' browsers. The vulnerability occurs during the web page generation process when input data is improperly sanitized or neutralized before being rendered back to users, allowing attackers to inject malicious code that persists in the page output. This reflected XSS vulnerability is particularly concerning as it leverages user-supplied input that gets directly reflected back into the application's response without adequate validation or encoding, making it a prime target for phishing attacks and session hijacking attempts. The affected version range spanning from n/a through 1.2.54 indicates that any installation within this version spectrum is potentially vulnerable to this attack vector.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's form processing pipeline. When users interact with forms that utilize calculated fields, the plugin processes user input and generates dynamic content that gets embedded into web pages. The vulnerability manifests when this generated content does not properly escape special characters or HTML tags that could be interpreted by browsers as executable code rather than plain text. This improper neutralization creates a persistent security gap where malicious payloads can be injected through form fields or URL parameters and executed in the context of other users' browsers, potentially compromising their sessions and accessing sensitive data. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent such injection vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this reflected XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session manipulation to potentially enable full system compromise through chained attacks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal administrator credentials, inject backdoors, or redirect users to malicious sites that appear legitimate. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attackers need only convince victims to click on a specially crafted link containing malicious payloads, making the attack surface particularly broad. This vulnerability could be exploited in various attack scenarios including targeted attacks against administrators who use the plugin, or mass phishing campaigns that take advantage of the reflected nature of the vulnerability. The impact is particularly severe because the plugin's functionality involves form processing, which is a common vector for user interaction and data entry, making it an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking to compromise user sessions and access sensitive information. This vulnerability maps directly to attack techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under TA0001 Initial Access and TA0002 Execution, as it provides a method for attackers to gain initial access and execute malicious code within user environments.
Organizations using the CodePeople Calculated Fields Form plugin should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves updating to a patched version of the plugin where the input validation and output encoding have been properly implemented to neutralize potentially dangerous characters. Until a patch is available, administrators should consider implementing content security policies that restrict script execution and employ input validation at multiple layers of the application. Additional protective measures include monitoring web application logs for suspicious requests that might indicate exploitation attempts, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or components. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and demonstrates the necessity of implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect against various attack vectors. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates and reduce the window of exposure for known vulnerabilities.