The Ganohrs Toggle Shortcode plugin for WordPress suffers from a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12459. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79), specifically due to insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied attributes in the 'toggle' shortcode. Attackers with authenticated contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary JavaScript payloads into pages or posts using this shortcode. When other users access these pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers within the context of the vulnerable site. This can lead to theft of session cookies, privilege escalation, defacement, or distribution of malware. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 0.2.4. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4 (medium), with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction, and scope change (S:C). No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user WordPress environments where contributors can add content but are not fully trusted. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding in shortcode attributes is the root cause, emphasizing the need for secure coding practices in WordPress plugin development.

This vulnerability allows authenticated contributors or higher to inject persistent malicious scripts into WordPress pages or posts, which execute in the browsers of any user viewing the affected content. The impact includes potential session hijacking, unauthorized actions on behalf of users, defacement, redirection to malicious sites, and data theft. Since the attack requires only contributor-level access, it lowers the barrier for exploitation in environments with multiple content creators. The scope change means the vulnerability can affect users beyond the attacker, potentially compromising site administrators or visitors. Although no known exploits are currently reported, the medium severity and ease of exploitation make it a significant risk for organizations relying on this plugin. Exploitation could lead to reputational damage, loss of user trust, and potential regulatory consequences if user data is compromised.

Organizations should immediately review user roles and restrict contributor-level access to trusted individuals only. Since no official patch is currently available, consider temporarily disabling or removing the Ganohrs Toggle Shortcode plugin until a fix is released. Implement additional input validation and output encoding at the application or web server level if possible. Employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block common XSS payloads targeting shortcode parameters. Regularly audit WordPress plugins for vulnerabilities and keep all plugins updated. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content. Monitor site logs for unusual activity or unexpected script injections. Once a patch is released, apply it promptly and verify the fix through testing. Consider using security plugins that can detect and sanitize malicious content in posts.