CVE-2024-13586 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Masy Gallery plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.7. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of user-supplied attributes within the plugin's 'justified-gallery' shortcode. This flaw allows authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by the plugin. When other users access these pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or other malicious actions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which pertains to 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, and requiring privileges but no user interaction. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, and the impact is limited to confidentiality and integrity, with no availability impact. No patches have been officially released yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. The vulnerability is significant because WordPress powers a large portion of the web, and plugins like Masy Gallery are widely used for media display. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can compromise site visitors and administrators by injecting persistent malicious scripts.

The impact of CVE-2024-13586 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites and their users. Successful exploitation allows attackers with contributor-level access to inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of site visitors and administrators. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive information such as cookies or credentials, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, and potential distribution of malware. Although availability is not directly affected, the trustworthiness and security posture of the affected websites can be severely compromised. Organizations relying on the Masy Gallery plugin risk reputational damage, data breaches, and potential regulatory consequences if user data is exposed. Since exploitation requires authenticated access, the threat is somewhat mitigated by proper access controls, but insider threats or compromised contributor accounts increase risk. The vulnerability's presence in a popular CMS ecosystem amplifies its potential reach, affecting a wide range of industries and geographies.

To mitigate CVE-2024-13586, organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately restrict contributor-level and higher user permissions to trusted individuals only, minimizing the risk of malicious script injection. 2) Monitor and audit user-generated content, especially content using the 'justified-gallery' shortcode, for suspicious or unexpected scripts or HTML. 3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the shortcode parameters. 4) Apply principle of least privilege to WordPress roles, disabling contributor or editor accounts that are not actively used. 5) Regularly backup website data to enable recovery in case of compromise. 6) Stay alert for official patches or updates from the Masy Gallery plugin developers and apply them promptly once available. 7) Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the Masy Gallery plugin with alternative gallery plugins that have no known vulnerabilities. 8) Educate site administrators and contributors about the risks of XSS and safe content practices. These targeted steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and proactive WAF deployment tailored to this specific vulnerability.