CVE-2020-36769 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Wordfence has published CVE-2020-36769 regarding a vulnerability in the Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin for WordPress.

Understanding CVE-2020-36769

This CVE identifies a Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in the Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin for WordPress.

What is CVE-2020-36769?

The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with subscriber-level permissions and above to inject arbitrary web scripts via the wp_ajax_import_widget_data AJAX action.

The Impact of CVE-2020-36769

The vulnerability affects versions up to and including 1.5.3 of the Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin, potentially leading to the execution of malicious scripts on injected pages.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-36769

The following technical details outline the specifics of CVE-2020-36769:

Vulnerability Description

Insufficient input sanitization and output escaping in the wp_ajax_import_widget_data AJAX action allow for Stored Cross-Site Scripting.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: kevinlangleyjr
Product: Widget Settings Importer/Exporter
Versions Affected: up to and including 1.5.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with subscriber-level permissions and above can exploit the vulnerability to inject malicious web scripts.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-36769, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin to version 1.5.4 or higher.
Monitor for any unauthorized script injections on WordPress pages.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and review WordPress plugins for security vulnerabilities.
Educate users on safe practices to prevent script injections.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates for WordPress plugins and apply patches promptly.