CVE-2024-6487 in Inline Related Posts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2024
The Inline Related Posts WordPress plugin before 3.8.0 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed (for example in multisite setup)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6487 affects the Inline Related Posts WordPress plugin version 3.8.0 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through stored cross-site scripting exploitation. This flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings without proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms, creating a persistent security weakness that can be leveraged by attackers with administrative privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multisite WordPress environments where the unfiltered_html capability is typically restricted to prevent malicious script injection.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input within its administrative settings interface. When administrators configure the plugin's parameters, the system does not adequately validate or escape potentially malicious content that could contain script tags or other XSS payloads. This improper input handling creates a stored XSS vulnerability where malicious code can be injected into the plugin's settings and subsequently executed whenever the affected page is loaded by other users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates even when the WordPress multisite configuration explicitly disallows unfiltered_html capability, which is a standard security measure designed to prevent such attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers with admin-level access to perform sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, the payload persists in the database and executes against any user who accesses the affected WordPress site. This creates a persistent backdoor that can be exploited repeatedly without requiring additional authentication. The vulnerability is particularly problematic in shared hosting environments or managed WordPress installations where multiple administrators may have access to the plugin settings.
Security mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to version 3.8.0 or later, which contain the necessary sanitization and escaping fixes. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of plugin configurations, monitoring for unauthorized changes to plugin settings, and implementing web application firewalls to detect suspicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a variant of the ATT&CK technique T1548.001 related to privilege escalation through modification of application code. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls for plugin administration and regularly review user capabilities within their WordPress installations to minimize the attack surface for such vulnerabilities.