WordPress SocialFit Cross-Site Scripting Scanner

WordPress SocialFit is a popular plugin designed to integrate social media capabilities into WordPress websites. It is utilized by website administrators and developers to enhance user engagement through social sharing features. Being a plugin, it is associated directly with the WordPress platform, which is widely used across a myriad of niches ranging from blogs to corporate websites. By offering social media interactions, SocialFit aims to streamline the sharing process, ultimately boosting a site’s visibility on social platforms. It is particularly favored for its ability to integrate with platforms like Google+ and Facebook seamlessly. However, due to its extensive reach, any vulnerabilities discovered can have widespread implications.

The Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WordPress SocialFit occurs due to improper sanitization of user-supplied input, specifically through the 'msg' parameter. This vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized actions by the injected scripts, potentially compromising user credentials or other sensitive information. XSS vulnerabilities like this are particularly severe as they enable attacks from any location without prior authentication. SocialFit’s failure to validate input adequately opens a significant security hole that can be exploited remotely. Users of vulnerable versions must be aware of the potential risks to system integrity and user privacy.

The vulnerability within WordPress SocialFit is technically located in the 'msg' parameter, particularly in AJAX requests made to the 'popup.php' script. Attackers can craft a payload that injects malicious scripts, which are then executed in the victim's browser. The absence of input validation in this segment of the plugin's codebase allows script tags to be rendered without being escaped or removed. This presents a significant security risk because it can execute JavaScript within the context of the application. As such, targets can become subject to unauthorized data access or further attacks, such as phishing or malware distribution. Researchers have demonstrated the flaw using a payload that triggers an alert box in the victim’s browser, indicative of broader misuse potential.

When exploited, this XSS vulnerability can lead to severe effects on both users and site administrators. Attackers may execute scripts that, for instance, capture user inputs, redirect users to malicious external sites, or perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent. This could compromise the overall security of the website by creating backdoors or altering the appearance and behavior of a site, severely tarnishing user trust and security. Moreover, any data handled through SocialFit, such as session tokens, user IDs, or personal data, may become accessible to attackers. Widespread exploitation could lead to data breaches, requiring site administrators to undertake costly incident responses and repair user relationships.

REFERENCES

• https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37481