CVE-2024-3188 in WP Shortcodes Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/26/2024
The WP Shortcodes Plugin — Shortcodes Ultimate WordPress plugin before 7.1.0 does not validate and escape some of its shortcode attributes before outputting them back in a page/post where the shortcode is embed, which could allow users with the contributor role and above to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2025
The WP Shortcodes Plugin - Shortcodes Ultimate WordPress plugin version 7.1.0 and earlier contains a critical security vulnerability that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. This vulnerability affects WordPress environments where the plugin is installed and actively used, creating a significant risk for websites that rely on user-generated content and shortcode functionality. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of shortcode attributes, which are parameters passed to shortcode functions that generate dynamic content on web pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied attributes before rendering them within HTML output contexts. When administrators or contributors embed shortcodes containing malicious payloads, the plugin processes these inputs without adequate validation, allowing potentially harmful JavaScript code to be stored in the database and subsequently executed when pages containing these shortcodes are rendered. This represents a classic stored XSS vulnerability pattern where malicious code persists in the application's data storage and executes during subsequent page requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers with contributor-level privileges or higher to compromise website integrity and user sessions. Contributors typically have the ability to create and edit posts, which makes this attack vector particularly dangerous for WordPress installations where multiple users contribute content. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat that can affect visitors to the website, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1059.001 for execution through scripting.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability directly relates to CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege and input sanitization, where user-provided data flows directly into output contexts without proper security controls. Organizations using this plugin should prioritize immediate remediation through updating to version 7.1.0 or later, as this release includes the necessary fixes for attribute validation and escaping mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should implement defensive measures such as content filtering, regular security audits, and monitoring for unusual shortcode usage patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies should include comprehensive patch management procedures, regular security assessments of WordPress plugins, and implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of role-based access controls and user permission management, as attackers can exploit the contributor role to gain persistent access to websites. Organizations should also consider implementing output encoding mechanisms and regular security training for content creators to reduce the risk of successful exploitation through social engineering or privilege escalation techniques.