CVE-2021-24368 : Security Advisory and Response

Quiz And Survey Master plugin for WordPress before version 7.1.18 is affected by a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability due to improper handling of user input, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

Understanding CVE-2021-24368

This vulnerability in the Quiz And Survey Master plugin allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of an admin user, posing a risk of sensitive data exposure and unauthorized actions.

What is CVE-2021-24368?

The Quiz And Survey Master WordPress plugin before 7.1.18 is susceptible to a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaw, enabling attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts in the browser of an admin user, ultimately compromising the security and integrity of the website.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24368

Exploitation of this vulnerability could result in privilege escalation by tricking an authenticated admin user into clicking a specially crafted link, leading to unauthorized actions and potential data leakage.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24368

The following technical information sheds light on the vulnerability and its implications:

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize the result_id parameter, allowing an attacker to craft a malicious link that, when clicked by an admin, triggers the execution of arbitrary scripts within the admin user's browser.

Affected Systems and Versions

Quiz And Survey Master plugin versions prior to 7.1.18 are impacted by this XSS vulnerability, exposing websites to potential attacks leveraging user interaction to execute malicious code.

Exploitation Mechanism

By enticing a logged-in admin to visit a specially crafted link, an attacker can exploit the XSS vulnerability to execute arbitrary code within the context of the admin user, potentially leading to further compromise of the WordPress site.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-24368, immediate actions should be taken to secure the affected systems and prevent future exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Quiz And Survey Master plugin to version 7.1.18 or newer to patch the XSS vulnerability and protect the website from potential attacks.
Educate users, especially admins, about the risks of clicking on unsolicited links to minimize the likelihood of successful exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit plugins and themes for known security issues to stay proactive against emerging vulnerabilities.
Implement strict input validation and output encoding practices in plugin development to prevent XSS and other injection attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by the plugin vendor and promptly apply them to ensure the protection of your WordPress website against known vulnerabilities.