CVE-2024-49239 in Add Categories Post Footer Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/18/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in nikhilvaghela Add Categories Post Footer add-categories-post-footer allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Add Categories Post Footer: from n/a through <= 2.2.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
This vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security of web applications by allowing malicious scripts to execute in users' browsers. The issue specifically resides within the nikhilvaghela Add Categories Post Footer plugin, which is designed to add category information to post footers on wordpress sites. The vulnerability manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting attack where malicious input is not properly sanitized or escaped during the web page generation process, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-site Scripting and aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through Spearphishing Attachments or Links.
The technical flaw occurs when the plugin fails to adequately neutralize user-supplied input that gets reflected back to users in the generated web pages. When a user visits a page that contains maliciously crafted input in parameters or headers, the plugin processes this data without proper sanitization, allowing the attacker to inject script code that executes in the victim's browser. This particular vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including version 2.2.2, indicating that the developers did not implement proper input validation or output encoding mechanisms to prevent the execution of malicious scripts. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload is delivered via a URL or HTTP request parameter, making it particularly dangerous as users can be tricked into visiting compromised links that contain the malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can lead to various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, or data exfiltration from users' browsers. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to steal user sessions, gain unauthorized access to wordpress admin panels, or manipulate content displayed to users. The reflected nature makes it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks where attackers can craft specific URLs that, when clicked by victims, execute malicious code in their browsers. This vulnerability can be leveraged to perform actions such as creating new admin users, modifying content, or accessing sensitive information, all while appearing to originate from legitimate plugin functionality. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of web applications by allowing unauthorized code execution in user contexts, potentially compromising entire wordpress installations if users have administrative privileges.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 2.2.3 or later where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed. System administrators should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent the reflection of malicious input back to users. The recommended approach includes implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, sanitizing all user inputs before processing, and escaping output data appropriately for the context in which it is displayed. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing during software development and the necessity of implementing secure coding practices such as input validation, output encoding, and proper error handling to prevent cross-site scripting attacks. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and web applications, ensuring comprehensive protection against such attacks.