CVE-2024-11770 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Post Carousel & Slider WordPress plugin developed by tarakpatel18. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.4 and is caused by improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically within the 'post-cs' shortcode. The plugin fails to adequately sanitize and escape user-supplied attributes, allowing authenticated users with contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. Since the malicious script is stored, it executes every time the infected page is accessed by any user, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing cookies, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. The vulnerability requires no user interaction but does require the attacker to have authenticated access with contributor or higher privileges, which is a moderate barrier but still significant in multi-user WordPress environments. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.4 reflects the medium severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and privileges required. The scope is changed because the vulnerability affects data beyond the attacker’s privileges by impacting other users who view the injected content. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. This vulnerability highlights the importance of strict input validation and output encoding in WordPress plugins, especially those that accept user input for rendering content.

The impact of CVE-2024-11770 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of user data within WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin. An attacker with contributor-level access can inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of any user visiting the affected pages. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of authentication tokens, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, defacement, or distribution of malware. Although availability is not directly impacted, the trustworthiness and security posture of the affected website can be severely compromised. Organizations with multi-user WordPress environments, especially those allowing contributor or higher roles, face increased risk. The vulnerability could be leveraged to escalate privileges or pivot to more damaging attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities. Since the plugin is widely used in WordPress ecosystems, the scope of affected systems is significant, particularly for sites that rely on user-generated content or have multiple contributors. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as proof-of-concept code may emerge. Overall, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk to organizations, particularly those with sensitive data or high-traffic WordPress sites.

To mitigate CVE-2024-11770, organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations for the presence of the Post Carousel & Slider plugin and verify the version in use. Since no official patch is currently linked, administrators should consider the following specific actions: 1) Restrict contributor-level permissions to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious script injection. 2) Temporarily disable or remove the vulnerable plugin until a patch or update is released by the vendor. 3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that detect and block suspicious script injection attempts targeting the 'post-cs' shortcode parameters. 4) Conduct regular security reviews and scanning for stored XSS payloads in site content, especially in pages using the plugin’s shortcode. 5) Educate content contributors about safe content practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 6) Monitor WordPress security advisories and update the plugin promptly once a fix is available. 7) Consider using security plugins that provide input sanitization and output encoding enhancements as a temporary protective measure. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, plugin management, and proactive detection tailored to this specific vulnerability.