CVE-2024-5426 in Photo Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/07/2024
The Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘svg’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.8.23 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. By default, this can only be exploited by administrators, but the ability to use and configure Photo Gallery can be extended to contributors on pro versions of the plugin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2025
The Photo Gallery by 10Web plugin for WordPress presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-5426 affecting versions through 1.8.23. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of the 'svg' parameter. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the plugin's database and execute whenever affected pages are accessed by other users. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's SVG processing functionality where user-supplied SVG content fails to undergo proper sanitization before being stored and subsequently rendered in web pages. This stored XSS vulnerability represents a significant risk to WordPress installations as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further compromise of the affected systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the typical stored XSS attack pattern where malicious input is first submitted and stored by the application, then later retrieved and executed without proper sanitization. In this case, the 'svg' parameter serves as the attack vector, allowing attackers to inject script tags or other malicious content that gets processed and stored within the plugin's configuration or media handling components. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it can be exploited by users with contributor-level permissions in pro versions of the plugin, expanding the potential attack surface beyond just administrators. This expanded privilege escalation capability means that less privileged users within the WordPress environment could potentially leverage this vulnerability to gain elevated access or execute malicious code across the entire site.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-5426 extends beyond immediate code execution capabilities to encompass broader security implications for WordPress installations. When exploited, the vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the plugin's SVG rendering functionality to deliver malicious payloads that can harvest user credentials, redirect traffic to malicious domains, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The persistence aspect of stored XSS means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, it remains active until manually removed from the plugin's database or the plugin is updated. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through phishing and social engineering attacks. The vulnerability's exploitation also violates WordPress security best practices regarding input validation and output escaping, particularly concerning the handling of user-supplied content in web applications. Organizations using the affected plugin versions face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential compromise of their entire WordPress infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-5426 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Administrators should implement additional security measures including restricting user permissions to prevent unauthorized access to plugin configuration options, monitoring for suspicious activity in plugin-related database entries, and implementing content security policies to limit script execution. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious SVG content. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output escaping as fundamental security practices that should be enforced across all web application components. Additionally, administrators should ensure that only trusted users have access to plugin configuration interfaces and consider implementing automated scanning tools to detect similar vulnerabilities in other installed plugins. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated plugin versions to ensure that the security fixes do not introduce compatibility issues with existing site functionality while maintaining the integrity of user-generated content.