CVE-2024-50445 in Selection Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in merkulove Selection Lite selection-lite allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Selection Lite: from n/a through <= 1.13.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2024-50445 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness in the merkulove Selection Lite selection-lite plugin, specifically within the web page generation process where input validation fails to properly neutralize user-supplied data. This flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which occurs when applications incorporate untrusted data into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS attack vector, meaning malicious scripts can be permanently stored on the server and subsequently executed whenever affected pages are loaded by unsuspecting users. The affected version range indicates that all versions up to and including 1.13 are vulnerable, suggesting this weakness has persisted for some time within the plugin's codebase.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization during the web page generation phase where user-controllable parameters are directly embedded into HTML output without proper HTML entity encoding or content security policy enforcement. When users interact with the plugin's interface or submit data through forms, the application fails to validate or sanitize the input before storing it in the database or rendering it in subsequent web responses. This allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further exploitation of the compromised systems.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions and potentially administrative privileges if the affected users have elevated permissions. The stored nature of the attack means that once a malicious payload is injected, it remains active until manually removed by administrators, creating a long-term security risk for all users who access the affected web pages. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on the use of malicious scripts to gain access to systems, and can enable further attacks such as credential harvesting or privilege escalation. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where the plugin is widely used, as a single compromised input can affect numerous users across the application ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-50445 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.14 or later, which should contain proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Administrators should implement comprehensive input validation routines that sanitize all user-supplied data before storage, employ proper HTML entity encoding for dynamic content, and establish content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution. Additionally, regular security audits of web applications should include thorough testing for XSS vulnerabilities using automated scanning tools and manual penetration testing techniques. The implementation of web application firewalls and security headers such as X-Content-Type-Options and X-Frame-Options can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing user input monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts before they can cause significant damage to the application or user data.