Sassy Social Share Cross-Site Scripting Scanner

Sassy Social Share is a WordPress plugin widely utilized by website administrators and content creators to enable social media sharing across various networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. Its main function is to increase user engagement and social media presence by providing easy sharing options directly from a website. The plugin is integrated into both personal blogs and large-scale business websites seeking to enhance their online visibility. It offers customizable icons and widgets to suit the design preferences of diverse websites. Users favor the plugin for its simplicity, extensive customization options, and compatibility with major social media platforms. With millions of downloads, Sassy Social Share is a staple in the toolkit of WordPress users aiming to leverage social media marketing.

The Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Sassy Social Share versions 3.3.3 and prior arises due to inadequate sanitization of input data processed by certain AJAX endpoints. This flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts, which can be executed in the context of the user's browser. It results from the incorrect handling of JSON data, which is rendered as HTML instead of maintaining its JSON format. This vulnerability occurs due to the absence of a Content-Type header, leading the browser to render data as HTML by default. XSS vulnerabilities like this can be exploited to hijack user sessions, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites. Timely identification and patching of such vulnerabilities are crucial to maintaining site integrity and user security.

The vulnerability manifests when certain AJAX endpoints in Sassy Social Share process requests without setting the correct Content-Type headers. Attackers can craft a request that includes a payload, such as JavaScript, which will be executed in the user's browser if the response is interpreted as HTML. The vulnerable endpoint is found in `wp-admin/admin-ajax.php` where the action `heateor_sss_sharing_count` can be manipulated to inject an XSS payload. The primary affected parameter allows the inclusion of script tags, which are not properly escaped or sanitized. Despite this flaw, the actual exploitation requires the attacker to trick or compel a legitimate user into making a specially crafted request. The exploitation vector, though straightforward, highlights the need for stringent content sanitization in web applications.

Exploitation of this XSS vulnerability can result in severe ramifications, including unauthorized access to admin sessions, exfiltration of sensitive user data, and injection of defacement scripts onto the site. Users visiting the affected site could inadvertently run malicious scripts, leading to unauthorized actions being performed on their behalf. The vulnerability threatens both the site's security posture and its reputation, as users could lose trust in the platform's ability to safeguard their data. Additionally, businesses reliant on the site for commerce or community engagement may suffer financial and reputational losses. Ensuring this is addressed promptly is crucial to maintaining site security and user trust.

REFERENCES

• https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/4631519b-2060-43a0-b69b-b3d7ed94c705