CVE-2024-3725 in Otter Blocks Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/02/2024
The Otter Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks, Page Builder for Gutenberg Editor & FSE plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's Post Grid widget in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.9 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes such as 'titleTag'. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3725 affects the Otter Blocks plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting the Post Grid widget functionality. This issue represents a critical security flaw that enables attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 2.6.9 of the plugin, making it a widespread concern for WordPress sites utilizing this popular page builder tool. The attack vector involves stored cross-site scripting, meaning that malicious code injected by an attacker persists in the system and executes whenever affected pages are accessed by other users. This particular vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level access or higher, which is a relatively low privilege level that many WordPress sites may not adequately restrict.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. Specifically, the 'titleTag' attribute lacks proper validation and sanitization before being processed and rendered in web pages. This failure to properly handle user-supplied data creates an opening for attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin processes user input for the Post Grid widget configuration, particularly in how it handles the titleTag parameter which should normally be restricted to valid HTML tag names but instead accepts arbitrary input without proper filtering. This weakness aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. The lack of proper input validation creates an environment where attackers can bypass security controls and inject malicious payloads that persist in the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress administrators and site owners who rely on the Otter Blocks plugin for their website functionality. An authenticated attacker with contributor privileges or higher can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary scripts in the browsers of other users who access pages containing the malicious content. This could lead to various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, redirection to malicious sites, or the execution of additional malware. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that the injected scripts will execute every time affected pages are loaded, potentially affecting all users who encounter these pages. This vulnerability undermines the security model of WordPress sites and could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or data exfiltration. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially compromise entire WordPress installations, especially when combined with other vulnerabilities or attack techniques.
Organizations and WordPress administrators should immediately update their Otter Blocks plugin to version 2.7.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. The fix implemented in the updated version includes proper input sanitization and output escaping for the titleTag parameter and other affected attributes, ensuring that user-supplied data is properly validated before being rendered in web pages. Additionally, administrators should implement strict access controls to limit contributor-level privileges to only trusted users, as the vulnerability requires at least this level of access to exploit. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual activity in the Post Grid widget configurations, and regular security audits of WordPress plugins should be conducted to identify potential vulnerabilities. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date WordPress plugins and implementing proper security practices, as it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 which involves privilege escalation through the exploitation of software vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and patch management processes are essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other WordPress plugins and themes.