CVE-2024-3208 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the Sydney Toolbox plugin for WordPress, specifically within its Filterable Gallery widget. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied attributes, allowing malicious scripts to be stored persistently in the website's content. An attacker with contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages via the widget, which executes in the context of any user who visits the infected page. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or manipulation of site content. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.28 of the plugin. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction, and a scope change with partial confidentiality and integrity impact but no availability impact. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be considered a significant risk for sites using this plugin with multiple user roles. The exploit requires authenticated access, limiting exposure to sites that allow contributor or higher roles to untrusted users.

The impact of CVE-2024-3208 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the website, potentially stealing session cookies, performing actions on behalf of other users, defacing content, or delivering further malware. Since the vulnerability is stored XSS, the malicious payload persists and affects all visitors to the compromised pages. Organizations with multi-user WordPress environments that assign contributor or higher privileges to untrusted users are at higher risk. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, user account compromise, and reputational damage. Although availability is not directly impacted, the indirect consequences of exploitation can disrupt normal operations and trust in the website. The vulnerability's requirement for authenticated access reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially for sites with weak user management or compromised accounts.

To mitigate CVE-2024-3208, organizations should immediately update the Sydney Toolbox plugin to a patched version once available. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict contributor-level or higher access to trusted users only and review existing user roles and permissions to minimize exposure. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious script injections targeting the Filterable Gallery widget can provide temporary protection. Site owners should audit all content created via the widget for suspicious scripts and remove any unauthorized code. Enabling Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can help limit the impact of injected scripts by restricting script sources. Regularly monitoring logs for unusual activity and educating users about the risks of privilege misuse are also recommended. Finally, consider disabling or replacing the vulnerable widget if it is not essential to site functionality.