CVE-2025-23481 in Ni WooCommerce Sales Report Email Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in NotFound Ni WooCommerce Sales Report Email allows Reflected XSS. This issue affects Ni WooCommerce Sales Report Email: from n/a through 3.1.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2025
This vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets the web page generation process within the NotFound Ni WooCommerce Sales Report Email plugin. The issue manifests as improper neutralization of input data during the creation of dynamic web content, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be injected and executed within the context of a user's browser. The vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS, meaning that the malicious input is immediately reflected back to the user through the web application's response without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. This particular flaw affects versions of the plugin ranging from an unspecified starting point through version 3.1.4, indicating a significant attack surface that spans multiple releases and potentially affects numerous WooCommerce installations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into dynamically generated web pages without appropriate security measures. When a user interacts with the plugin's email reporting functionality, the application fails to properly sanitize or encode data that originates from external sources, allowing an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be crafted to be sent to the victim through a crafted URL or email link, where it gets executed when the user clicks through to the vulnerable page. This execution typically occurs in the victim's browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, a fundamental weakness in web application security that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent security flaws in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the context of a compromised user session. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulate the reporting functionality, or establish persistent access through session hijacking techniques. The attack vector typically involves sending a specially crafted email or link to a victim who then clicks through to the vulnerable plugin interface, where the malicious script executes in their browser. This creates a significant risk for WooCommerce administrators and users who may inadvertently click on malicious links or receive compromised email reports. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions of the plugin suggests that it may have been present for an extended period, potentially allowing attackers to develop and refine exploitation techniques over time. Organizations using this plugin are particularly at risk if they rely on email notifications for sales reports, as these communications could serve as delivery mechanisms for the XSS payload.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin versions, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and establishing robust security monitoring for suspicious activities. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the Ni WooCommerce Sales Report Email plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should also implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing and code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or custom code within the WooCommerce ecosystem. The remediation process should include regular security assessments of all installed plugins and themes, along with implementing proper security configurations that prevent reflected XSS through proper input validation and output encoding practices. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the necessity of implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against common web application vulnerabilities that have been well-documented in security frameworks such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework for adversarial security operations.