CVE-2021-24539 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability was discovered in the Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler WordPress plugin before version 1.6.7. This vulnerability could allow an authenticated attacker to inject malicious scripts into the frontend, posing a risk to users.

Understanding CVE-2021-24539

This CVE relates to a security issue in the Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler WordPress plugin before version 1.6.7, which could be exploited by an authenticated user to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

What is CVE-2021-24539?

The CVE-2021-24539 vulnerability pertains to an inadequate sanitization of the plugin's description setting when displaying it on the frontend with the Coming Soon mode enabled. This flaw allows an attacker to inject and execute malicious scripts.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24539

A successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to an attacker executing arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the user's browser. This could result in various consequences, including theft of sensitive information, unauthorized actions, or complete compromise of the user's session.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24539

This section outlines the specific technical details of the CVE, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the lack of proper sanitization or escaping of the description setting output in the frontend, even when the unfiltered_html capability is restricted. This oversight enables an attacker to inject malicious scripts.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected product is the Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler WordPress plugin with versions prior to 1.6.7. Users of these versions are at risk of exploitation and are advised to update to a secure version immediately.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit this vulnerability, an authenticated attacker needs to enable Coming Soon mode within the plugin. By leveraging the unfiltered_html capability, the attacker can inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code, thereby launching a Stored Cross-Site Scripting attack.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard against CVE-2021-24539, users and administrators are encouraged to take immediate and proactive security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or uninstall the affected plugin if not essential for operations
Implement web application firewalls or security plugins to detect and block XSS attacks

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update all WordPress plugins and themes to their latest versions
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities proactively

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the Coming Soon, Under Construction & Maintenance Mode By Dazzler plugin is updated to version 1.6.7 or higher, where the vulnerability has been addressed.