CVE-2024-56024 in Custom Dashboard Widget Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/02/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in DuoGeek Custom Dashboard Widget allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Custom Dashboard Widget: from n/a through 1.0.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-56024 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within the DuoGeek Custom Dashboard Widget plugin, specifically targeting the reflected XSS variant that exploits improper input sanitization during web page generation. This security flaw exists in versions ranging from the initial release through version 1.0.0, indicating a persistent issue that has not been adequately addressed in the plugin's codebase. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly neutralize user-supplied input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web content, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes user input through reflected parameters without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. When a malicious user crafts a specially crafted URL containing script payloads and shares it with victims, the plugin fails to properly escape or validate these inputs during the page generation process. This allows the injected scripts to execute within the victim's browser context, potentially enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious websites. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the server's response, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered via email links, social media, or other attack vectors without requiring persistent storage of malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the context of the targeted WordPress environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to compromise user sessions, potentially gaining administrative access to the WordPress dashboard if users with elevated privileges click on malicious links. The vulnerability's presence in the dashboard widget context is particularly concerning as it suggests that the attack surface includes administrative interfaces where sensitive operations occur. This weakness can be exploited to manipulate dashboard content, steal sensitive information, or establish persistent access to the compromised system. The reflected XSS nature also makes this vulnerability relatively easy to exploit, as it requires minimal setup and can be delivered through standard web-based attack methods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-56024 should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates if available, as this vulnerability affects a specific version range that likely contains known fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in their custom code implementations. The security practices should align with established standards including CWE-79 for cross-site scripting prevention and follow ATT&CK framework tactics such as T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter to address potential exploitation paths. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, regularly auditing input handling mechanisms, and conducting security testing of web applications can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into the codebase. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious input patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web application security, particularly in plugin ecosystems where third-party code integrates with core platform functionality. The issue highlights the need for comprehensive security testing during development cycles and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. The reflected XSS attack vector specifically emphasizes the need for proper sanitization of all user-supplied data before rendering it in web contexts, as outlined in industry best practices for preventing XSS vulnerabilities.