CVE-2024-5889 in Events Manager Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/29/2024
The Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, and more! plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘country’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 6.4.8 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 • 03/21/2025
The CVE-2024-5889 vulnerability affects the Events Manager plugin for WordPress, a widely used calendar and booking management solution that has been installed on thousands of websites. This particular flaw exists in versions up to and including 6.4.8, making it a significant concern for WordPress administrators who have not yet updated their installations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, specifically targeting the 'country' parameter that is used in various calendar and booking functionalities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the category of reflected cross-site scripting attacks, which are classified under CWE-79 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. This type of vulnerability occurs when an application includes untrusted data in a web page without proper validation or escaping, allowing malicious scripts to be executed in the context of a user's browser. In this case, the 'country' parameter serves as the attack vector, where an attacker can craft a malicious URL containing script code that gets reflected back to the victim when the page is loaded. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require authentication, meaning any user can potentially exploit it without needing valid credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a potential gateway for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal user session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. According to ATT&CK framework classification, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) as potential attack vectors, since the reflected XSS could be used to deliver payloads that exploit other vulnerabilities or execute malicious commands. The plugin's widespread adoption means that a successful exploitation could affect numerous websites simultaneously, making it an attractive target for automated exploitation tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should begin with immediate patching of the Events Manager plugin to version 6.4.9 or later, where the input sanitization and output escaping issues have been addressed. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation at the web application firewall level and monitoring for suspicious parameter values in access logs. Network-level protections can include implementing content security policies that restrict script execution and monitoring for unusual patterns in URL parameters that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other instances of similar vulnerabilities within their WordPress installations and ensure that their update management processes are robust enough to prevent such issues from recurring in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the potential consequences of delayed patch management in WordPress environments.