CVE-2024-5024 in Memberpress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/30/2024
The Memberpress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'mepr_screenname' and 'mepr_key' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.11.29 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-5024 affects the Memberpress plugin for WordPress, a widely used membership management solution that enables website administrators to control access to premium content and manage user subscriptions. This specific flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of the plugin's user interface and authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability resides in how the plugin handles user input parameters within its administrative and user-facing screens, creating an environment where malicious actors can exploit the system's failure to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied data. The issue impacts all versions of the plugin up to and including version 1.11.29, making it a significant concern for numerous WordPress installations that have not yet updated to newer releases.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through reflected cross-site scripting attacks that specifically target the 'mepr_screenname' and 'mepr_key' parameters within the plugin's request handling mechanisms. These parameters are processed without adequate input validation or output escaping, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets executed in the context of a victim's browser when they visit a specially crafted URL. The vulnerability manifests because the plugin fails to implement proper sanitization routines that would neutralize potentially harmful input before it is rendered in the browser. This lack of input sanitization directly violates established security principles and creates a persistent attack vector that can be leveraged by threat actors without requiring authentication or administrative privileges. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script is injected into the response by the web server rather than being stored, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-5024 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code in the context of authenticated user sessions. This vulnerability can be weaponized to perform various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and data exfiltration from users who inadvertently click on compromised links. The attack requires social engineering to convince victims to click on malicious URLs, but once executed, the consequences can be severe for both individual users and the website administrators who rely on the plugin for membership management. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly, as the malicious scripts are reflected back to users through the plugin's interface without requiring any server-side storage of the malicious content. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with plugin interfaces or where automated attacks can be launched against multiple targets simultaneously.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws that occur when untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper sanitization or escaping. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.007 for script injection techniques, highlighting how attackers can leverage such weaknesses to execute malicious code in victim environments. Organizations using the affected Memberpress plugin should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to the latest available version, which contains proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies to limit script execution, monitoring web server logs for suspicious activity, and conducting regular security assessments of WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of proper input validation and output escaping practices as outlined in OWASP's top ten security risks, emphasizing that even seemingly simple parameters can create significant security exposure when not properly handled within web applications.