CVE-2024-51613 in TradeMe Widgets Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/09/2024
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (XSS or 'Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Andrew Connell TradeMe widgets allows Stored XSS.This issue affects TradeMe widgets: from n/a through 1.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The weakness occurs during the web page generation process where input validation and sanitization mechanisms fail to properly neutralize user-supplied data before it gets rendered in the browser. The vulnerability specifically impacts Andrew Connell TradeMe widgets, with affected versions ranging from the initial release through 1.2, indicating a long-standing issue that has not been adequately addressed in the software lifecycle. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a fundamental weakness in web application security.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code into the widget configuration or content fields that are then persisted in the application's database. When other users view pages containing these maliciously stored scripts, the code executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on establishing persistence through the use of malicious scripts in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable sophisticated attack chains where attackers establish persistent access to user sessions, potentially compromising entire user accounts and their associated privileges. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the TradeMe widgets system, which likely serves as a critical component for user-generated content or third-party integrations. Given that the affected versions span from the initial release through 1.2, organizations using these widgets face a significant risk exposure that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to user data, manipulate displayed content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability's persistence through multiple versions suggests inadequate security testing or input validation mechanisms during the development lifecycle, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit this weakness across various deployments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including comprehensive input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied content, implementing Content Security Policies to restrict script execution, and conducting thorough security reviews of all widget implementations. The recommended approach involves deploying proper sanitization mechanisms that filter or escape special characters in user input before storage, combined with regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and prevent XSS attack patterns, while ensuring that all users are updated to the latest secure versions of the widgets where applicable. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of addressing input validation flaws early in the development process, as the cost of remediation increases exponentially when vulnerabilities are discovered post-deployment, particularly in widely-used web components.