CVE-2021-24414 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A detailed overview of CVE-2021-24414, a vulnerability found in the Video Player for YouTube WordPress plugin before version 1.4, allowing stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks by contributors or higher roles.

Understanding CVE-2021-24414

This section provides insight into the nature, impact, and technical details of the CVE-2021-24414 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-24414?

The Video Player for YouTube plugin before version 1.4 fails to sanitize or validate parameters from its shortcode, enabling users with low roles like contributors to inject Cross-Site Scripting payloads into the pages containing the malicious shortcode.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24414

The vulnerability can be exploited by malicious contributors or users with higher roles to execute Cross-Site Scripting attacks within the affected pages, potentially compromising user data and website integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24414

Explore the technical aspects and specifics related to CVE-2021-24414 to better understand the underlying issues.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and validate parameters within its shortcode, leading to the injection of malicious scripts that can be executed within the context of the affected pages.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected system is the Video Player for YouTube plugin before version 1.4, with a custom version of 1.4 being vulnerable to stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the lack of input sanitization in the plugin's shortcode parameters, threat actors can craft and embed malicious payloads using Cross-Site Scripting techniques to compromise the integrity of the affected web pages.

Mitigation and Prevention

Discover the essential steps and practices to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-24414 and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Website administrators should promptly update the Video Player for YouTube plugin to version 1.4 or above, which includes fixes for the Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability. Regularly monitor and audit user-contributed content to detect and prevent further malicious injections.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement rigorous input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the plugin to prevent Cross-Site Scripting attacks. Educate users with elevated roles on safe content creation practices and encourage adherence to secure coding guidelines.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by the plugin developer. Ensure timely installation of patches to address known vulnerabilities and protect the website from potential exploitation.