A critical security vulnerability has been identified in the “Profile Box Shortcode And Widget” plugin for WordPress, marked as CVE-2024-1401. This flaw enables attackers to execute malicious scripts and potentially create backdoors through the plugin’s functionality. In this article, we delve into the discovery of the vulnerability, understand the implications of Stored XSS in WordPress, explore the exploitation process, discuss potential risks and real-world scenarios, and conclude with recommendations for enhanced security measures. As a result, high privilege users such as administrators can exploit this flaw to execute malicious scripts, potentially leading to account takeover (if an attacker has previously hijacked an administrator or editor account, he can plant a backdoor to regain access back).
Main info:
| CVE | CVE-2024-1401 |
| Plugin | Profile Box Shortcode And Widget < 1.2.1 |
| Critical | High |
| All Time | 238 922 |
| Active installations | 4 000+ |
| Publicly Published | February 20, 2023 |
| Last Updated | February 20, 2023 |
| Researcher | Dmtirii Ignatyev |
| OWASP TOP-10 | A7: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) |
| PoC | Yes |
| Exploit | No |
| Reference | https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-1401 https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/91064ba5-cf65-46e6-88df-0e4d96a3ef9f/ |
| Plugin Security Certification by CleanTalk |  |
Timeline
| January 23, 2023 | Plugin testing and vulnerability detection in the Profile Box Shortcode And Widget have been completed |
| January 23, 2023 | I contacted the author of the plugin and provided a vulnerability PoC with a description and recommendations for fixing |
| February 20, 2024 | Registered CVE-2024-1401 |
Discovery of the Vulnerability
During routine testing of the plugin, security researchers identified a vulnerability that allows malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code via the plugin’s widget. Specifically, the flaw enables the execution of Stored XSS attacks when certain input fields are manipulated.
Understanding of Stored XSS attack’s
Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a type of vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications. In the context of WordPress, Stored XSS occurs when user-supplied data is not properly sanitized and is subsequently displayed on web pages, allowing attackers to execute scripts in the context of unsuspecting users.
Real-world examples of Stored XSS vulnerabilities in WordPress include injecting malicious scripts into comments, form fields, or plugin settings. Once executed, these scripts can perform various malicious actions, such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to phishing sites, or even compromising admin accounts.
Exploiting the Stored XSS Vulnerability
To exploit the vulnerability in the “Profile Box Shortcode And Widget” plugin, attackers can craft a payload containing malicious JavaScript code and inject it into specific input fields, such as the “Max width” field when creating a new widget. Once the widget is deployed on a WordPress page, unsuspecting users who interact with it may trigger the execution of the injected code, leading to a successful XSS attack.
POC:
When creating a new widget, insert the following payload in the "Max width" field - 250" onmouseover="alert(/XSS/)"___
The exploitation of Stored XSS vulnerabilities poses significant risks to WordPress websites and their users. In the case of CVE-2024-1401, attackers could leverage the vulnerability to create backdoors within WordPress sites, allowing unauthorized access and potential data exfiltration.
Real-world scenarios of such attacks may involve the compromise of admin accounts, unauthorized data manipulation, or the injection of malicious content into web pages. Additionally, attackers could exploit the vulnerability to launch further attacks, such as spreading malware or conducting phishing campaigns.
Recommendations for Improved Security
To mitigate the risk associated with Stored XSS vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-1401, WordPress website administrators should take proactive security measures:
- Regularly update plugins and themes to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.
- Utilize security plugins and tools to scan for and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
- Educate users and administrators about best practices for secure coding and website management.
- Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the impact of XSS attacks.
By following these recommendations, website owners can enhance the security posture of their WordPress sites and protect against the exploitation of Stored XSS vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-1401.
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