CVE-2021-24822 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A detailed overview of CVE-2021-24822, a vulnerability found in the Stylish Cost Calculator WordPress plugin before version 7.0.4, affecting authenticated users and leading to Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Understanding CVE-2021-24822

This section will cover what CVE-2021-24822 entails, including its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2021-24822?

The Stylish Cost Calculator plugin before version 7.0.4 lacks proper authorization and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) checks on certain AJAX actions, potentially enabling authenticated users to execute Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24822

The vulnerability allows authenticated users, even subscribers, to exploit the plugin's lack of sanitization and escaping in parameters, leading to Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks against logged-in admins and frontend users.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24822

This section will delve into the specifics of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanisms.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the absence of proper authorization and CSRF checks on specific AJAX actions within the Stylish Cost Calculator WordPress plugin, leaving it open to exploitation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Stylish Cost Calculator versions earlier than 7.0.4 are impacted by this vulnerability, exposing users to potential Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the lack of sanitization in parameters, authenticated users can initiate malicious AJAX actions, resulting in the execution of Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we will explore the immediate steps to take and long-term security practices to safeguard systems against CVE-2021-24822.

Immediate Steps to Take

To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2021-24822, users are advised to update the Stylish Cost Calculator plugin to version 7.0.4 or newer. Additionally, validating and sanitizing user inputs can help prevent XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing regular security audits, staying informed about plugin updates, and educating users on security best practices are crucial for maintaining a secure WordPress environment.

Patching and Updates

Developers should prioritize timely patching of vulnerabilities and stay vigilant for security alerts related to the Stylish Cost Calculator plugin to prevent potential exploits.