CVE-2021-24225 : What You Need to Know

The Advanced Booking Calendar WordPress plugin before version 1.6.7 is vulnerable to an authenticated reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue arising from unsanitized input.

Understanding CVE-2021-24225

This CVE involves a security vulnerability in the Advanced Booking Calendar WordPress plugin that allows for an authenticated reflected XSS attack.

What is CVE-2021-24225?

The issue in the Advanced Booking Calendar plugin, specifically before version 1.6.7, lies in its failure to properly sanitize the calId GET parameter on the "Seasons & Calendars" page. This oversight results in the injection of malicious scripts, enabling cross-site scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24225

Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to user cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information. Attackers could potentially execute malicious scripts within the context of a user's browser, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24225

In this section, we will delve into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the Advanced Booking Calendar plugin allows for an authenticated reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attack due to inadequate input sanitization of the calId parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts Advanced Booking Calendar versions prior to 1.6.7, leaving those installations exposed to potential XSS attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By injecting malicious scripts via the calId parameter on the "Seasons & Calendars" page, an attacker can craft URLs to exploit the XSS vulnerability when clicked by an authenticated user.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2021-24225, immediate actions and long-term security measures should be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update the Advanced Booking Calendar plugin to version 1.6.7 or newer to mitigate the XSS risk. Furthermore, restricting access to untrusted users can help reduce the attack surface.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitoring and updating plugins, employing web application firewalls, and educating users on safe browsing practices are essential for long-term security resilience.

Patching and Updates

Developers should prioritize security patches provided by plugin vendors and promptly apply updates to eliminate known vulnerabilities and enhance overall website security.