CVE-2021-24454 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The YOP Poll WordPress plugin before version 6.2.8 is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting, allowing attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a user's browser.

Understanding CVE-2021-24454

This CVE identifies a security flaw in the YOP Poll WordPress plugin that could lead to Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks when certain options are enabled in a poll.

What is CVE-2021-24454?

CVE-2021-24454 pertains to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in the YOP Poll WordPress plugin versions prior to 6.2.8. This flaw can be exploited to inject and execute malicious scripts in a victim's browser.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24454

The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft a specially designed poll with specific options that, if interacted with by a user, could result in the execution of arbitrary code within the user's browsing session.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24454

This section covers the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

In the YOP Poll WordPress plugin before version 6.2.8, issues arise when creating a poll with unchecked sanitization of the 'Other' answer. This can enable attackers to embed malicious scripts in the poll's output, leading to Stored Cross-Site Scripting.

Affected Systems and Versions

YOP Poll versions prior to 6.2.8 are impacted by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can leverage the 'Allow other answers', 'Display other answers in the result list', and 'Show results' options in a poll to inject and execute malicious scripts through the 'Other' answer.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-24454.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the YOP Poll plugin to version 6.2.8 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid interacting with untrusted polls or content from unverified sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update plugins and themes to the latest versions to patch security vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates for the YOP Poll plugin and apply patches promptly to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.