CVE-2024-6493 in NinjaTeam Header Footer Custom Code Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/13/2024
The NinjaTeam Header Footer Custom Code WordPress plugin before 1.2 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 • 03/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6493 affects the NinjaTeam Header Footer Custom Code WordPress plugin version 1.2 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. This flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user settings where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms allow malicious code execution. The vulnerability specifically targets high-privilege users such as administrators who possess the capability to modify plugin settings, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative access is maintained.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input within its settings management system. When administrators configure custom header and footer code through the plugin interface, the input is not adequately processed to prevent malicious script injection. This occurs even in environments where WordPress security measures such as the unfiltered_html capability restriction are in place, particularly in multisite configurations where such restrictions are commonly enforced. The lack of proper input validation creates a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited through stored data rather than reflected attacks, making it more insidious and long-lasting.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers with administrative privileges to establish persistent backdoors, steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, and potentially escalate privileges further within the WordPress environment. In multisite setups where the unfiltered_html capability is restricted, this vulnerability undermines the security controls designed to protect against such attacks, creating a dangerous scenario where privileged users can circumvent intended security measures. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that malicious scripts are permanently embedded in the plugin settings and will execute whenever affected pages are loaded.
Organizations should immediately update to version 1.2 or later of the NinjaTeam Header Footer Custom Code plugin to remediate this vulnerability. Security administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of all WordPress installations to identify potentially compromised sites and ensure that no malicious code has been injected through this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should also include reviewing and hardening WordPress security configurations, particularly around user capability management and input validation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a technique that could be categorized under ATT&CK tactic TA0001 (Initial Access) and technique T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) when exploited for persistent access and execution.