CVE-2021-25042 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

The WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) WordPress plugin version less than 5.5 has a vulnerability that allows any authenticated user to call the updateIpAddress AJAX action, leading to arbitrary IP address exclusion and stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks against logged-in admin.

Understanding CVE-2021-25042

This CVE affects the WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) WordPress plugin version less than 5.5, exposing it to arbitrary IP address exclusion and XSS attacks.

What is CVE-2021-25042?

The vulnerability in the WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) WordPress plugin version less than 5.5 allows attackers to manipulate IP addresses and conduct XSS attacks against logged-in administrators.

The Impact of CVE-2021-25042

The impact of this CVE is significant as it enables attackers to bypass authorization and CSRF checks, potentially leading to unauthorized access and malicious script injection.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-25042

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

Vulnerability Description

The WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) plugin version less than 5.5 lacks authorization and CSRF checks in the updateIpAddress AJAX action, allowing any authenticated user to add an arbitrary IP address for exclusion, leading to stored XSS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) WordPress plugin before version 5.5 is affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the updateIpAddress AJAX action to add malicious IP addresses and perform XSS attacks against logged-in administrators.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2021-25042, immediate steps should be taken along with implementing long-term security practices and applying necessary patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately update the WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) WordPress plugin to version 5.5 or higher to patch the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Enforce strong authentication mechanisms, regular security assessments, and user input validation to enhance the overall security posture of the WordPress website.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitor for plugin updates and security advisories, ensuring prompt installation of patches released by the plugin vendor to address known vulnerabilities.