CVE-2023-6958 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-6958, assigned by Wordfence, involves a vulnerability in the WP Recipe Maker plugin for WordPress that allows for Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks. The issue affects all versions up to and including 9.1.0 and can be exploited by authenticated attackers with contributor-level and above permissions.

Understanding CVE-2023-6958

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-6958, providing insight into the nature of the vulnerability and its potential impact.

What is CVE-2023-6958?

The CVE-2023-6958 vulnerability arises from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes within the WP Recipe Maker plugin. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious web scripts via the plugin's shortcodes, leading to Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2023-6958

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can execute arbitrary web scripts on pages, compromising the security and integrity of the WordPress site.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-6958

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2023-6958, including a description of the vulnerability, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in WP Recipe Maker plugin allows for Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks through inadequate input sanitization and output escaping, granting attackers the ability to inject and execute malicious scripts on affected pages.

Affected Systems and Versions

WP Recipe Maker versions up to and including 9.1.0 are vulnerable to CVE-2023-6958, exposing WordPress sites with the plugin installed to potential exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

Authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can leverage this vulnerability to insert malicious web scripts using the plugin's shortcodes. Once injected, these scripts execute whenever a user visits the compromised page.

Mitigation and Prevention

Understanding how to mitigate and prevent CVE-2023-6958 is crucial for maintaining the security of WordPress sites using the WP Recipe Maker plugin.

Immediate Steps to Take

Website administrators are advised to update the WP Recipe Maker plugin to a secure version beyond 9.1.0 to eliminate the vulnerability and protect their sites from potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, regular security audits, and user input validation can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins and enhance overall site security.

Patching and Updates

Staying informed about security updates released by plugin developers and promptly applying patches to vulnerable plugins is essential to safeguard against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-6958.

By taking immediate steps to update affected systems, implementing robust security practices, and staying vigilant for future security advisories, website owners can mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2023-6958 and enhance the overall security posture of their WordPress sites.