CVE-2021-24956 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2021-24956 affecting Blog2Social plugin. Understand the impact, technical details, and mitigation steps to secure WordPress sites from Cross-Site Scripting risks.
Blog2Social: Social Media Auto Post & Scheduler WordPress plugin before version 6.8.7 is affected by a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability due to improper sanitization of user input.
Understanding CVE-2021-24956
This vulnerability in the Blog2Social plugin allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of an admin session, posing a security risk to WordPress websites.
What is CVE-2021-24956?
The Blog2Social plugin versions prior to 6.8.7 fail to properly sanitize the 'b2sShowByDate' parameter, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability.
The Impact of CVE-2021-24956
Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow remote attackers to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of an authenticated admin user, potentially compromising the website's security.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-24956
This section provides insights into the specific aspects of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The issue arises from the lack of adequate input sanitization for the 'b2sShowByDate' parameter, enabling attackers to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's admin page.
Affected Systems and Versions
Blog2Social versions earlier than 6.8.7 are impacted by this Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability, making websites using these versions susceptible to exploitation.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious links containing the tainted parameter, tricking an authenticated admin user into clicking on them and triggering the execution of the injected scripts.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2021-24956 and enhance overall security, immediate actions and long-term practices are recommended.
Immediate Steps to Take
Website administrators should update the Blog2Social plugin to version 6.8.7 or newer to mitigate the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for any suspicious activities is crucial.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implement robust input validation mechanisms, regularly update plugins, and maintain web application firewalls to prevent future XSS attacks.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security patches released by the plugin developer and promptly apply updates to ensure the protection of your WordPress site.