CVE-2023-0097 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE, assigned by WPScan, pertains to the vulnerability in the Post Grid, Post Carousel, & List Category Posts WordPress plugin before version 2.4.19. The issue allows users with the contributor role and above to exploit Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Understanding CVE-2023-0097

This section delves into what CVE-2023-0097 is and the impact it has. Additionally, it explores the technical details of the vulnerability and offers mitigation and prevention strategies.

What is CVE-2023-0097?

CVE-2023-0097 specifically affects the Post Grid, Post Carousel, & List Category Posts WordPress plugin. The plugin, before version 2.4.19, fails to validate and escape some of its block options properly. This oversight enables users with the contributor role and higher to execute Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2023-0097

The vulnerability allows malicious contributors or higher role users to inject harmful scripts into pages or posts, leading to potential Cross-Site Scripting attacks. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive information, manipulation of content, or phishing attempts on vulnerable websites.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-0097

Understanding the vulnerability in more detail, including its description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The Post Grid, Post Carousel, & List Category Posts WordPress plugin fails to properly validate and escape certain block options before rendering them on a page or post. This oversight permits contributors and above to execute stored XSS attacks, compromising the security of the website.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts the Post Grid, Post Carousel, & List Category Posts WordPress plugin version less than 2.4.19. Users with versions below this are at risk of exploitation by malicious actors with contributor-level access or higher.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the lack of proper validation and escaping of block options within the plugin, attackers with contributor roles or higher can inject malicious scripts into pages or posts on vulnerable websites, leading to Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

Explore the steps required to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-0097, including immediate actions to take, best security practices in the long term, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Website administrators should update the Post Grid, Post Carousel, & List Category Posts plugin to version 2.4.19 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for any unauthorized changes to content can help detect and prevent potential XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, conducting regular security audits, educating users about safe browsing habits, and staying informed about plugin updates and security patches can enhance the overall security posture of WordPress websites.

Patching and Updates

Regularly updating plugins, themes, and the WordPress core is critical to addressing known vulnerabilities and ensuring the security of the website. Promptly applying patches released by plugin developers can prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-0097.