CVE-2024-49288 in Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/17/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in VillaTheme Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce email-template-customizer-for-woo allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce: from n/a through <= 1.2.9.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-49288 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the VillaTheme Email Template Customizer for WooCommerce plugin, specifically impacting versions through 1.2.9.1. This stored XSS vulnerability occurs during the web page generation process when user input is inadequately sanitized before being rendered in email templates. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever the affected email templates are viewed or processed. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to neutralize potentially dangerous characters and script tags within user-supplied content. According to CWE-79, this classification specifically addresses the improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a classic stored cross-site scripting vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1566.001 - Phishing: Email, as it enables attackers to craft malicious email templates that can compromise user sessions and execute unauthorized commands.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the plugin's handling of email template customization features where administrators or users can input content that gets stored and later rendered in email communications. When malicious input containing script tags or other executable code is submitted through the template customization interface, the application fails to properly sanitize this data before storing it in the database. Subsequently, when the email templates are generated and displayed to users, the stored malicious code executes in their browsers, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing other unauthorized actions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable full session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the compromised user context. Attackers can leverage this weakness to create persistent backdoors within the email template system, making the attack surface expand beyond the initial compromise point.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-49288 is severe for WooCommerce stores utilizing the affected plugin, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise multiple users over time. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, it remains active until manually removed from the database, providing extended attack windows. This vulnerability particularly affects e-commerce environments where email communication is critical for customer notifications, order confirmations, and administrative communications. The compromise of email templates can lead to widespread customer data exposure, fraudulent transactions, and reputational damage. Organizations using this plugin may experience unauthorized access to sensitive customer information, including personal details and transaction records. The vulnerability also poses risks to the broader WordPress ecosystem, as compromised email templates can be used to spread malware across multiple sites or to conduct coordinated attacks against users of the affected WooCommerce installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-49288 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.2.9.2 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms for all user-supplied content within email template systems, following the principle of least privilege for template customization features. Organizations should conduct thorough security audits of their email template systems to identify and remove any existing malicious payloads that may have been injected through this vulnerability. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual email traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing content security policies and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments should be mandated for all WordPress plugins and themes to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of input sanitization and output encoding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and other security frameworks, emphasizing that all user-generated content must be properly escaped before being rendered in web contexts.