CVE-2021-24817 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Discover the details of CVE-2021-24817 affecting Ultimate NoFollow plugin version 1.4.8 and below, enabling contributors to execute XSS attacks. Learn about the impact and mitigation strategies.
The Ultimate NoFollow WordPress plugin version 1.4.8 and below is vulnerable to stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, allowing contributors or higher roles to exploit this issue.
Understanding CVE-2021-24817
This CVE identifies a security flaw in the Ultimate NoFollow WordPress plugin, enabling unauthorized users to execute Cross-Site Scripting attacks.
What is CVE-2021-24817?
The Ultimate NoFollow WordPress plugin version 1.4.8 and earlier fails to properly sanitize and escape the href attribute of its shortcodes. This oversight permits users with contributor or above roles to carry out XSS attacks.
The Impact of CVE-2021-24817
An attacker with at least contributor privileges can leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious scripts into the website, potentially compromising user data, defacing the site, or performing other malicious actions.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-24817
The technical details of this CVE include:
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from the plugin's failure to sanitize and escape the href attribute of its shortcodes, leaving room for unauthorized users to execute XSS attacks.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Ultimate NoFollow
- Vendor: Unknown
- Affected Version: 1.4.8 and below
Exploitation Mechanism
By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers with contributor or higher roles can insert malicious scripts via shortcodes, leading to XSS attacks on the website.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2021-24817, consider the following measures:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update the Ultimate NoFollow plugin to a secure version beyond 1.4.8.
- Restrict contributor-level permissions to minimize the risk of XSS attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly monitor and audit plugins for security vulnerabilities.
- Educate users with higher roles about the importance of secure coding practices.
Patching and Updates
Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates for all plugins to prevent known vulnerabilities from being exploited.