CVE-2024-4362 in SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/22/2024
The SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'siteorigin_widget' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.60.0 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. 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 • 03/28/2025
The SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle plugin for WordPress represents a widely used tool that extends the functionality of WordPress sites through customizable widgets and shortcodes. This particular vulnerability affects versions up to and including 1.60.0, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's core functionality, specifically within the 'siteorigin_widget' shortcode implementation. The flaw allows malicious actors with contributor-level privileges or higher to exploit this weakness and inject malicious scripts into the plugin's shortcode parameters.
The technical nature of this vulnerability classifies as a stored cross-site scripting flaw, which means that malicious scripts are permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected pages are accessed by unsuspecting users. The vulnerability occurs because user-supplied attributes passed to the 'siteorigin_widget' shortcode are not properly sanitized before being processed and stored within the WordPress database. Additionally, the output escaping mechanisms fail to adequately protect against script injection attacks, allowing malicious code to persist in the system and execute in the context of the victim's browser. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that once the malicious payload is injected, it continues to execute automatically without requiring additional user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for widespread impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. An attacker with contributor-level access can leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts that could steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or even execute commands on the server if additional vulnerabilities exist. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction beyond accessing the compromised page, making it particularly effective for social engineering attacks where users might be tricked into visiting malicious pages containing the injected scripts. This vulnerability particularly affects sites with multiple contributors or users with elevated privileges, as the attack surface expands with the number of potential attackers within the system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization and escaping issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output escaping mechanisms for all user-supplied data within the plugin's shortcode functionality. The implementation of content security policies can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits of WordPress plugins should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and execution through web-based attacks. Regular monitoring of plugin security advisories and maintaining updated security measures, including two-factor authentication and role-based access controls, can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation and provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities.