CVE-2021-24306 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2021-24306 affecting Ultimate Member WordPress plugin before 2.1.20. Understand the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies for this Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability.
Ultimate Member WordPress plugin before 2.1.20 is affected by an authenticated reflected Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability. Attackers can exploit this issue by manipulating the query string in a link to edit a user's profile, requiring knowledge of the username.
Understanding CVE-2021-24306
This CVE involves an authenticated reflected Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in the Ultimate Member WordPress plugin.
What is CVE-2021-24306?
The Ultimate Member WordPress plugin before version 2.1.20 is prone to an authenticated reflected Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability. This occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize, validate, or encode the query string when creating a link to edit a user's profile.
The Impact of CVE-2021-24306
This vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of an authenticated user. Successful exploitation requires the attacker to have knowledge of the targeted username to craft a malicious link.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-24306
This section covers the technical aspects of the CVE in detail.
Vulnerability Description
The issue stems from the plugin's failure to sanitize user input when generating links, leading to the execution of unauthorized scripts in the user's browser.
Affected Systems and Versions
Ultimate Member plugin versions prior to 2.1.20 are impacted by this vulnerability. Users of these versions are advised to update immediately.
Exploitation Mechanism
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs to manipulate the query string in a link designed to edit a user's profile. Success also hinges on the victim clicking on the malicious link.
Mitigation and Prevention
In this section, we explore the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-24306.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users should update the Ultimate Member plugin to version 2.1.20 or higher to address this vulnerability promptly.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implement strict input validation and output encoding practices in plugins to prevent Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Regularly monitor for security updates and apply patches promptly to secure your WordPress plugins against known vulnerabilities.