CVE-2024-48023 in Restaurant Reservations Widget Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/17/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in rconnect305 Restaurant Reservations Widget restaurantconnect-reswidget allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Restaurant Reservations Widget: from n/a through <= 1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
The CVE-2024-48023 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the restaurantconnect-reswidget plugin for WordPress, specifically impacting versions up to and including 1.0. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which occurs when web applications fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into web pages served to other users. The issue manifests as a reflected XSS vulnerability, meaning that malicious input is immediately reflected back to users without proper sanitization or encoding, creating an opportunity for attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's failure to adequately neutralize input parameters during web page generation processes. When users interact with the restaurant reservation widget, the application accepts input values without sufficient validation or sanitization measures. This allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code through parameters that are then reflected back to other users who view the affected pages. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the point of input processing where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into the HTML output without proper context-aware encoding or filtering mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious domains. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, will execute the injected scripts in their browsers. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation if the attacker can target administrators or privileged users who interact with the reservation widget. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the attack requires user interaction with a specially crafted link, making it particularly insidious as it can be delivered through phishing emails, social media, or compromised websites.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.1 or later, which should contain proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and conducting thorough input validation for all user-supplied parameters. Organizations should also consider implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content, particularly when incorporating user input into HTML contexts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1203 technique for exploitation of web application vulnerabilities, emphasizing that proper sanitization of user input is fundamental to preventing XSS attacks. Regular security audits of third-party plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and all WordPress installations should maintain updated security practices including regular plugin updates, strong access controls, and monitoring for suspicious activities.