CVE-2024-9641 in Table of Contents Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
The LuckyWP Table of Contents WordPress plugin before 2.1.7 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 • 05/07/2025
The LuckyWP Table of Contents WordPress plugin version 2.1.6 and earlier contains a critical security vulnerability that exposes WordPress installations to stored cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects high-privilege users such as administrators who possess the capability to modify plugin settings. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's configuration handling code, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited even in restricted multisite environments where the unfiltered_html capability has been properly disabled.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Cross-Site Scripting, specifically categorized as stored XSS due to the persistence of malicious payloads within the plugin's settings storage. Attackers with administrative privileges can inject malicious JavaScript code through the plugin's settings interface, which then gets executed whenever other users view pages containing the affected plugin content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it bypasses WordPress's normal security mechanisms designed to prevent XSS attacks in restricted environments. Even when the unfiltered_html capability is properly restricted in multisite setups, the plugin's insufficient sanitization allows malicious code execution, undermining the security controls put in place by administrators.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges, steal user sessions, perform unauthorized actions within the WordPress admin interface, and potentially exfiltrate sensitive data. In a multisite environment, this vulnerability becomes even more dangerous as attackers can compromise multiple sites within the network. The stored nature of the XSS means that the malicious payload remains active until manually removed from the plugin settings, providing persistent access to compromised systems. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, and T1548.001 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching to version 2.1.7 or later, which addresses the sanitization and escaping issues. Administrators should also implement additional security monitoring to detect unusual plugin setting modifications and consider restricting administrative access to plugin configurations through role-based access controls. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output escaping in WordPress plugin development, particularly for plugins that handle user-provided configuration data. Organizations should conduct thorough security reviews of all installed plugins to identify similar sanitization issues and ensure that security controls are properly enforced even in restricted environments where unfiltered_html is disabled.