CVE-2020-12054 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The Catch Breadcrumb plugin before 1.5.4 for WordPress and 16 related themes are vulnerable to Reflected XSS.

Understanding CVE-2020-12054

What is CVE-2020-12054?

The Catch Breadcrumb plugin for WordPress, along with 16 associated themes, is susceptible to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) through the 's' parameter.

The Impact of CVE-2020-12054

This vulnerability could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a user's browser, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data theft.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-12054

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability exists in the Catch Breadcrumb plugin before version 1.5.4 and affects 16 themes by the same author, enabling Reflected XSS via the search query parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

Plugin: Catch Breadcrumb plugin before 1.5.4
Themes: Alchemist, Alchemist PRO, Izabel, Izabel PRO, Chique, Chique PRO, Clean Enterprise, Clean Enterprise PRO, Bold Photography PRO, Intuitive PRO, Devotepress PRO, Clean Blocks PRO, Foodoholic PRO, Catch Mag PRO, Catch Wedding PRO, and Higher Education PRO.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by tricking a user into clicking a specially crafted link that contains the malicious script, which is then executed in the user's browser.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Catch Breadcrumb plugin to version 1.5.4 or newer.
Disable the plugin if immediate updating is not possible.
Monitor for any suspicious activities on the affected themes.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update all plugins and themes to their latest versions.
Educate users on safe browsing practices to avoid clicking on unknown or suspicious links.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all WordPress plugins and themes are regularly updated to mitigate known vulnerabilities.