CVE-2024-6859 in WP MultiTasking Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/08/2024
The WP MultiTasking WordPress plugin through 0.1.12 does not validate and escape some of its shortcode attributes before outputting them back in a page/post where the shortcode is embed, which could allow users with the contributor role and above to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2025
The WP MultiTasking WordPress plugin version 0.1.12 and earlier contains a critical security vulnerability that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. This vulnerability affects the plugin's shortcode implementation where user-supplied attributes are not adequately sanitized before being rendered back to the page. The flaw specifically targets the contributor role and above, making it particularly dangerous as it allows users with relatively low privileges to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and escape shortcode attributes before outputting them, creating an attack vector that can persist across multiple page views and user sessions. This represents a significant weakness in the plugin's security architecture and demonstrates poor input handling practices that directly violate fundamental web security principles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's shortcode processing system where attributes passed to the shortcode are directly incorporated into HTML output without proper sanitization. When a contributor or higher-privileged user inserts a malicious shortcode into a post or page, the plugin fails to validate the attribute values against known safe patterns or escape special characters that could enable script execution. This stored XSS vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets executed whenever other users view pages containing the compromised shortcode. The vulnerability can be exploited to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The persistence of the attack means that once the malicious shortcode is embedded in content, it continues to execute whenever the page is loaded, making it particularly dangerous for websites with multiple contributors or administrators who may not regularly audit content for malicious code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and security of WordPress installations using the affected plugin. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent footholds within compromised websites, potentially leading to complete system takeover if combined with other vulnerabilities or if the compromised user has elevated privileges. The stored nature of the XSS attack means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, creating long-term security risks that can persist until the malicious content is manually removed or the plugin is updated. This vulnerability also impacts the trust relationship between website administrators and their users, as any user with contributor privileges can potentially compromise the entire site's security. Organizations using this plugin may face regulatory compliance issues and potential data breaches if attackers exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive user information or perform unauthorized administrative actions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the input validation and output escaping issues. System administrators should implement comprehensive content auditing procedures to identify and remove any existing malicious shortcodes from posts and pages. The recommended approach includes upgrading to the latest plugin version where the vulnerability has been patched, implementing strict content validation policies for user-contributed content, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized shortcode usage. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, regular security scanning of website content, and user privilege reviews to ensure that only trusted individuals have contributor or higher roles. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, demonstrating how this vulnerability can be leveraged as part of broader attack chains targeting web applications and user sessions.