CVE-2024-34366 in Download Alt Text AI Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/06/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in AltText.Ai Download Alt Text AI allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Download Alt Text AI: from n/a through 1.3.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/31/2025
The CVE-2024-34366 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the AltText.Ai Download Alt Text AI application that enables stored XSS attacks. This vulnerability arises from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by attackers to inject malicious scripts into the application's user interface. The affected version range spans from the initial release through version 1.3.4, indicating this flaw has existed for some time within the product lifecycle. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Download Alt Text AI application's ability to properly neutralize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an environment where malicious code can be stored and subsequently executed against unsuspecting users.
This security flaw operates through the exploitation of improper input validation mechanisms that should normally filter or escape user-provided data before it is rendered in web interfaces. When users interact with the application and submit content that contains malicious script tags or other harmful code, the application fails to adequately sanitize this input during the page generation phase. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious code is persisted within the application's database or storage mechanisms, making it available to other users who view the affected content. This creates a particularly dangerous scenario where a single compromised input can affect multiple users over time, unlike reflected XSS attacks that require specific user interaction with malicious links.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-34366 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially allowing attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal user sessions, modify application behavior, or redirect users to malicious websites. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the attack surface remains persistent, with malicious payloads remaining active until the compromised content is manually removed or the application is patched. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a critical weakness in web application security. The flaw also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers "Modify Application Configuration" and T1071.004 which addresses "Application Layer Protocol: DNS" in the context of web-based attacks.
Organizations using the affected AltText.Ai Download Alt Text AI application should prioritize immediate remediation efforts to address this vulnerability. The most effective mitigation strategy involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that properly sanitize all user-supplied data before it is processed or displayed. This includes implementing proper HTML escaping, using Content Security Policy headers, and ensuring that all user-generated content is properly validated against known safe patterns. The application should also implement proper session management controls and consider implementing rate limiting to prevent abuse of the vulnerability. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in the application's codebase, with particular attention to all user input handling mechanisms. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten security guidelines and implement automated input validation libraries to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.