CVE-2021-46889 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

The 10Web Photo Gallery plugin through 1.5.69 for WordPress allows XSS via theme_id for bwg_frontend_data. This vulnerability affects certain versions of the plugin, potentially leading to cross-site scripting attacks.

Understanding CVE-2021-46889

What is CVE-2021-46889?

CVE-2021-46889 is a security vulnerability found in the 10Web Photo Gallery plugin for WordPress, allowing an attacker to execute cross-site scripting attacks by manipulating the theme_id parameter in the bwg_frontend_data.

The Impact of CVE-2021-46889

This vulnerability could enable malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary scripts in the context of a user's browser, leading to various attacks such as account hijacking, defacement, or stealing sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-46889

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the Photo Gallery plugin versions up to 1.5.69 allows unauthorized users to inject malicious scripts by manipulating the theme_id parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: 10Web Photo Gallery plugin
Versions: All versions up to 1.5.69

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a specially designed request to the vulnerable application, injecting malicious scripts via the theme_id parameter.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or remove the vulnerable 10Web Photo Gallery plugin immediately.
Implement web application firewalls to filter and block malicious requests.
Regularly monitor and audit web applications for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Keep web applications and plugins up to date to patch known vulnerabilities.
Educate users and administrators about the risks of cross-site scripting and other common web application vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Developers should release a patched version of the 10Web Photo Gallery plugin to address this vulnerability and encourage users to update to the latest secure version.