CVE-2024-9886 in WP Baidu Map Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2024
The WP Baidu Map plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'baidu_map' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.2.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2025
The WP Baidu Map plugin for WordPress presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects all versions up to and including 1.2.2. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's baidu_map shortcode implementation. The flaw specifically targets user-supplied attributes that are processed through the shortcode system, creating a persistent vector for malicious code injection. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate the plugin's functionality to store malicious scripts that will execute whenever any user accesses pages containing the compromised shortcode.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess contributor-level access or higher within the WordPress environment, which represents a significant operational risk since contributors typically have substantial privileges to modify content and settings. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into the plugin's output without proper sanitization, allowing malicious payloads to be stored within the WordPress database and subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts persist even after the initial injection and can affect any user who views the affected pages, regardless of their privilege level.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise the entire WordPress installation and its user base. The impact extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices for input validation and output encoding. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors, manipulate content, or redirect users to malicious sites, making it particularly dangerous in environments with multiple user roles and varying privilege levels.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization and escaping issues, as well as implementing additional security measures such as input validation at multiple layers and strict output encoding. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, conducting thorough security audits of all installed plugins, and establishing robust access control measures to limit contributor privileges where possible. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security practices, emphasizing that all user-supplied data must be treated as potentially malicious and properly sanitized before processing or display.