CVE-2021-25079 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides an overview of CVE-2021-25079, a vulnerability in the Contact Form Entries WordPress plugin before version 1.2.4 that can lead to reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

Understanding CVE-2021-25079

In this section, we will explore what CVE-2021-25079 is and its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2021-25079?

CVE-2021-25079 is a vulnerability found in the Contact Form Entries WordPress plugin versions prior to 1.2.4. The plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape certain parameters, making it susceptible to reflected XSS attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2021-25079

Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute malicious scripts in the context of an admin page, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data theft.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-25079

Let's delve deeper into the technical aspects of the vulnerability to understand its implications.

Vulnerability Description

The Contact Form Entries plugin fails to sanitize parameters such as form_id, status, end_date, order, orderby, and search before displaying them on the admin page, enabling attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Contact Form Entries plugin versions earlier than 1.2.4.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this flaw by injecting specially crafted input that, when processed by the plugin, leads to the execution of malicious scripts in the user's browser.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-25079 to safeguard your WordPress site from potential attacks.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Contact Form Entries plugin to version 1.2.4 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor and review admin page inputs for suspicious content or unexpected behavior.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent XSS attacks on your WordPress plugins.
Regularly audit and update third-party plugins to ensure they adhere to secure coding practices.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by plugin developers. Apply patches promptly to protect your WordPress site from known vulnerabilities.