CVE-2024-11776 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in the arothman PCRecruiter Extensions plugin for WordPress, present in all versions up to and including 1.4.10. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user input within the 'PCRecruiter' shortcode attributes, which allows authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. When other users access these pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially compromising session tokens, user credentials, or enabling further attacks such as privilege escalation or data manipulation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with a changed scope. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, but the risk remains significant due to the nature of stored XSS and the potential for persistent malicious code execution within affected WordPress sites. The flaw affects all versions of the plugin up to 1.4.10, and no official patches have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation steps by administrators.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-11776 is the compromise of confidentiality and integrity within affected WordPress sites using the arothman PCRecruiter Extensions plugin. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with contributor-level access to inject persistent malicious scripts, which execute in the context of other users visiting the infected pages. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, and potential privilege escalation if administrative users are targeted. While availability is not directly affected, the reputational damage and potential data breaches can be severe. Organizations relying on this plugin for recruitment or HR functions may face data leakage of candidate or employee information. The requirement for authenticated access limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple contributors or less stringent access controls. The vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against organizations with WordPress-based recruitment portals, potentially exposing sensitive hiring data and internal communications.

To mitigate CVE-2024-11776, organizations should first check for and apply any official patches or updates from arothman addressing this vulnerability once available. In the absence of an immediate patch, administrators should restrict contributor-level and higher privileges to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious shortcode attribute injection. Implementing a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious script injections in shortcode parameters can provide interim protection. Additionally, site administrators can audit existing content for injected scripts and sanitize stored data manually if feasible. Employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can reduce the impact of injected scripts by restricting script execution sources. Regularly monitoring logs for unusual shortcode usage or user behavior can help detect exploitation attempts early. Finally, educating contributors about safe content practices and limiting plugin usage to trusted environments will reduce exposure.