CVE-2023-7170 : What You Need to Know

This CVE record was published by WPScan on January 22, 2024, and relates to a vulnerability in the EventON-RSVP WordPress plugin.

Understanding CVE-2023-7170

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-7170 and its impact, technical aspects, as well as mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-7170?

CVE-2023-7170 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in the EventON-RSVP WordPress plugin version lower than 2.9.5. The flaw occurs due to insufficient sanitization and escaping of certain parameters by the plugin before displaying them on a page. This vulnerability could be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts targeting high-privilege users such as admins.

The Impact of CVE-2023-7170

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it could allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by privileged users, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data theft, or other malicious activities.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-7170

In this section, we will explore the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the EventON-RSVP WordPress plugin arises from the lack of proper sanitization and escaping of parameters, enabling the execution of reflected Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected system is the EventON-RSVP WordPress plugin version prior to 2.9.5. Any system using this version is vulnerable to the reflected XSS exploit.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting CVE-2023-7170 involves crafting malicious URLs or payloads containing JavaScript code that, when executed, can compromise the security of the affected WordPress websites.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section focuses on immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Website administrators should update the EventON-RSVP plugin to version 2.9.5 or later to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing strict input validation and output sanitization practices can help prevent XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance overall website security, it is advisable to regularly audit plugins for vulnerabilities, stay informed about security patches, educate users on safe browsing habits, and consider implementing web application firewalls.

Patching and Updates

Developers of the EventON-RSVP plugin have released a patch in version 2.9.5 to address the XSS vulnerability. Users are strongly encouraged to apply this patch promptly to secure their WordPress websites against potential exploitation.