CVE-2023-6828 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the Contact Form, Survey & Popup Form Plugin for WordPress – ARForms Form Builder plugin, making it susceptible to Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks. The issue exists in all versions up to and including 1.5.8, allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages.

Understanding CVE-2023-6828

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-6828, outlining what the vulnerability entails and its potential impact.

What is CVE-2023-6828?

CVE-2023-6828 is a vulnerability that affects the Contact Form, Survey & Popup Form Plugin for WordPress – ARForms Form Builder plugin, enabling attackers to execute malicious scripts on compromised pages via the 'arf_http_referrer_url' parameter.

The Impact of CVE-2023-6828

The impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it allows unauthenticated malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary web scripts on pages, posing a severe risk to website security and potentially compromising user data.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-6828

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2023-6828, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the Contact Form, Survey & Popup Form Plugin for WordPress – ARForms Form Builder plugin arises from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping, making it possible for attackers to inject malicious scripts via the 'arf_http_referrer_url' parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of the Contact Form, Survey & Popup Form Plugin for WordPress – ARForms Form Builder plugin up to and including 1.5.8 are affected by this vulnerability, leaving them exposed to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit CVE-2023-6828 by injecting malicious scripts through the 'arf_http_referrer_url' parameter, leveraging the lack of proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms in the plugin.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section addresses the steps that can be taken to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-6828 and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Website administrators are advised to update the Contact Form, Survey & Popup Form Plugin for WordPress – ARForms Form Builder plugin to a secure version beyond 1.5.8 to remediate the vulnerability. Additionally, implementing content security policies and input validation measures can help mitigate the risk of Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, organizations should prioritize regular security audits, code reviews, and employee training to enhance overall security posture and prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring for security updates and promptly applying patches released by the plugin developer is crucial to addressing vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-6828 and ensuring the ongoing security of WordPress websites.