Hello everyone!
Information security has once again become a real concern due in part to a newly discovered vulnerability. Everyone using the Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons plugin for Wordpress (versions <= 3.1) should be on high alert and take the necessary actions to patch their systems in light of the recent discovery of CVE-2023-47229 - a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability.
The Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons plugin is a popular choice for web designers and Wordpress users to implement social sharing functionality to their websites. Today, we will explore the details of the CVE-2023-47229 vulnerability, including exploit information and how XSS can be a dangerous threat to the security and privacy of your website's visitors.
What is Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)?
Stored Cross-Site Scripting, also known as Persistent or Type-II XSS, is a type of web application security vulnerability where an attacker injects malicious code into a vulnerable website's content. Once executed, the malicious code can be stored and sent to unsuspecting users who visit the affected webpages.
Through Stored XSS, an attacker has the potential to steal sensitive user information, deface websites, perform unauthorized actions on the affected website, and even compromise the user's security by executing malicious code within their browser.
For more information about Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), please visit the official OWASP website at https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/xss/
The Vulnerability (CVE-2023-47229)
The CVE-2023-47229 vulnerability affects the Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons plugin for Wordpress, specifically in versions less than or equal to 3.1. This Stored XSS vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious code into the plugin's settings, which then automatically gets saved and executed when users visit the affected webpages. [Here](ADD_REFFERENCE) is the original reference that discovered and reported this vulnerability.
Details of the Vulnerability
The vulnerability arises from the plugin's method for handling user input in the 'vyas_dipen_top_25_social_icon' option parameter. Due to the lack of proper sanitation and validation of user input, an attacker can manipulate the parameter to execute malicious code. The code snippet illustrating the vulnerable code is provided below:
$update_plugin_options=update_option('vyas_dipen_top_25_social_icon',$_POST );
As shown in the code snippet, the $_POST data received is directly passed to the 'update_option' Wordpress function without proper input validation and sanitation. This allows attackers to exploit the vulnerability by injecting malicious code via the plugin's settings.
Exploiting the Vulnerability
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP POST request to the vulnerable plugin's 'vyas_dp_admin.php' page. The attacker would include the malicious code under the 'vyas_dipen_top_25_social_icon' parameter.
For instance, an attacker can use the following payload to inject malicious JavaScript code into the plugin's settings:
vyas_dipen_top_25_social_icon=<script>alert('XSS');</script>
Once submitted, the payload will be perpetrated and executed when visitors to the website encounter the affected plugin's social icons.
Mitigation & Solutions
The best way to mitigate the impact of this vulnerability is to update your Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons plugin to the latest version, which includes patches to address the issue as stated in their [changelog](ADD_LINK_TO_CHANGELOG).
If an update is not immediately available, it is recommended that you disable the affected plugin until the issue is resolved. This will help protect your website and its users from potential attacks. In addition, make sure to consistently monitor plugin security updates and vulnerabilities affecting your Wordpress installation.
Furthermore, I recommend every web application owner use content security policies (CSP) on their websites to reduce the risk of stored XSS vulnerabilities. For more information on CSP, please visit the following link: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/CSP
In conclusion, the CVE-2023-47229 vulnerability in Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons plugin (versions <= 3.1) is a serious security threat that can lead to stolen sensitive information, unauthorized actions, and compromised user security. By updating your plugins, monitoring security updates, and implementing other security best practices, you can better protect your website and its users. Always stay proactive to ensure your website remains secure and trustworthy.
Timeline
Published on: 11/08/2023 19:15:09 UTC
Last modified on: 11/15/2023 15:49:10 UTC