CVE-2024-43971 in Sunshine Photo Cart Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in sunshinephotocart Sunshine Photo Cart sunshine-photo-cart.This issue affects Sunshine Photo Cart: from n/a through <= 3.2.5.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2026
This cross-site scripting vulnerability resides within the sunshinephotocart sunshine photo cart web application where user input is inadequately sanitized during web page generation processes. The flaw represents a classic xss attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to and including 3.2.5 of the sunshine photo cart software, indicating this weakness has persisted across multiple releases without proper remediation. The improper neutralization occurs during the dynamic generation of web content where user-supplied data flows directly into html output without adequate encoding or validation mechanisms. This vulnerability type is categorized under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The attack pattern aligns with the tactics described in the mitre ATT&CK framework under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage web application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the context of the victim's browser. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted input that gets reflected back in the web application's response, potentially allowing them to steal cookies, modify page content, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's persistence across versions suggests inadequate security testing and input validation practices during the software development lifecycle.
The technical exploitation of this xss vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites and can be accomplished through various methods including direct input injection into forms, url parameters, or api endpoints that process user data. The lack of proper input sanitization means that any data submitted by users through the photo cart interface could potentially contain malicious javascript payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers. This weakness creates a persistent threat vector that affects all users of the affected software versions, particularly those with administrative privileges who may be targeted for more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability's scope is limited to web-based execution contexts and does not directly compromise server-side systems, but rather exploits the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The attack surface includes any functionality that accepts user input and subsequently displays it within web pages, making the impact potentially widespread across the entire photo cart application. Security researchers have noted that this type of vulnerability often stems from inadequate output encoding practices where developers assume user input is safe without proper validation or sanitization steps. The vulnerability's classification as a persistent weakness in web applications makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited repeatedly without requiring additional system compromises.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input before processing and encoding all dynamic content before rendering it in web pages. This includes implementing proper html entity encoding for data displayed in web contexts, utilizing content security policies to limit script execution, and employing secure coding practices that prevent direct data injection into html output. Organizations should immediately upgrade to versions of sunshine photo cart that address this vulnerability, as patch management becomes critical in preventing exploitation. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script payloads, conducting regular security assessments of web applications, and establishing proper input validation procedures during software development. The implementation of proper access controls and session management can further limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider deploying monitoring solutions that can detect unusual patterns of input submission that may indicate attempted exploitation. Regular security training for developers on secure coding practices and vulnerability awareness can help prevent similar issues from emerging in future releases. The remediation process should include thorough testing of all input/output handling mechanisms to ensure that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the application codebase. Compliance with security standards such as owasp top ten and iso 27001 can provide structured approaches to addressing these types of web application vulnerabilities. Organizations should also maintain detailed incident response procedures specifically designed to handle xss exploitation attempts and ensure rapid remediation when such vulnerabilities are discovered in operational environments.