CVE-2024-35642 in Site Favicon Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/03/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Bryan Hadaway Site Favicon allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Site Favicon: from n/a through 0.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-35642 represents a critical security flaw in the Site Favicon plugin developed by Bryan Hadaway, specifically classified as an improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This issue manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows malicious actors to inject persistent malicious code into web pages served by affected systems. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user input during the favicon generation process, where insufficient sanitization permits attacker-controlled data to be stored and subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.001 for command and control through script injection. The affected version range spans from the initial release through version 0.2, indicating that any installation within this scope is potentially compromised and susceptible to exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Site Favicon plugin processes user-provided data during favicon creation, failing to properly sanitize or escape input before storing it in the database or rendering it on web pages. This stored data becomes executable when other users access pages that utilize the vulnerable plugin, creating a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers to steal session cookies, deface websites, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform other malicious activities. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active until explicitly removed from the system, making it particularly dangerous for long-term persistence. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to compromise user sessions, execute arbitrary code in victims' browsers, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected web application environment. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks including credential harvesting, data exfiltration, and establishment of backdoors within the compromised system.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for any website utilizing the affected Site Favicon plugin, as it provides attackers with a persistent method of compromising user sessions and accessing sensitive information. Organizations running vulnerable versions face potential data breaches, loss of user trust, and regulatory compliance violations that could result in significant financial and reputational damage. The vulnerability's presence in the plugin's favicon generation process means that even seemingly innocuous website elements like favicons can become attack vectors, making the threat more insidious and harder to detect. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their overall risk assessment, particularly in environments where user-generated content is processed or where privileged access to web applications is required. The persistence of stored XSS attacks means that once exploited, the vulnerability can continue to affect users until properly patched, creating ongoing security exposure that requires continuous monitoring and remediation efforts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-35642 should prioritize immediate remediation through version updates to the Site Favicon plugin, ensuring that all installations are upgraded to versions that address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other parts of their web applications, following the principle of least privilege and defense in depth. The recommended approach includes disabling or removing the vulnerable plugin until proper patches are applied, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input, and conducting thorough security assessments of all plugins and themes used in the web application ecosystem. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors, while also implementing proper access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications to web content. Security teams should also consider implementing content security policies to limit the execution of malicious scripts and establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle XSS-related security events.