CVE-2021-39202 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

WordPress 5.8 beta version has a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability, allowing for potential attacks through the widget editor.

Understanding CVE-2021-39202

This CVE involves a security vulnerability present in the beta versions of WordPress 5.8 that can lead to stored XSS in the custom HTML widget.

What is CVE-2021-39202?

WordPress, an open-source content management system, in its affected versions, improperly handles HTML input in the Custom HTML feature, enabling stored XSS in the custom HTML widget.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39202

The vulnerability has a base score of 7.6, classified as high severity. It poses a risk to confidentiality and requires user interaction for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39202

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, its affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw arises from the inadequate handling of HTML input in the widgets editor of WordPress 5.8 beta versions, allowing for stored XSS.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: WordPress-develop
Vulnerable Versions: 5.8 beta 1, 5.8 beta 2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability requires low privileges, network access, and user interaction to be exploited, with the attack vector through the network.

Mitigation and Prevention

Understanding how to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability is crucial for ensuring system security.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update WordPress to version 5.8 to eliminate the vulnerability.
Avoid using untrusted HTML code in the Custom HTML feature.
Regularly monitor for any suspicious activities on the website.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct security training for website administrators to recognize and handle XSS vulnerabilities.
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate XSS risks.
Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches.

Patching and Updates

WordPress has released version 5.8, which addresses this vulnerability.
Regularly update WordPress and its plugins to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.