CVE-2024-4362 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle plugin for WordPress, a widely used plugin that provides customizable widgets for site content. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input in the 'siteorigin_widget' shortcode, which allows authenticated users with contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. This malicious code is stored persistently and executed in the context of any user who visits the affected page, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing cookies, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.60.0. The CVSS 3.1 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, meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component, impacting confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the risk remains significant due to the common use of this plugin in WordPress sites and the ease of exploitation by authenticated users. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which covers improper neutralization of input during web page generation leading to XSS.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-4362 is the compromise of confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites. Attackers with contributor-level access can inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of site visitors, potentially leading to session hijacking, theft of sensitive information such as cookies or credentials, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, and defacement or manipulation of site content. This can erode user trust, damage brand reputation, and lead to further exploitation such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the organization’s web infrastructure. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, the risk is higher in environments where contributor or higher roles are assigned to untrusted or compromised users. The vulnerability does not impact availability directly but can be leveraged as part of broader attack chains. Organizations running WordPress sites with this plugin are at risk of targeted attacks, especially those with high traffic or sensitive user data.

To mitigate CVE-2024-4362, organizations should immediately update the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle plugin to a version that addresses this vulnerability once released by the vendor. Until a patch is available, administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and audit existing user roles to minimize the number of users with permissions to inject content. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious script injections in shortcode attributes can provide temporary protection. Additionally, site owners should enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regularly scanning the site for injected scripts and monitoring logs for unusual activity can help detect exploitation attempts. Educating content contributors about safe input practices and enforcing strict input validation on any custom code or shortcodes can further reduce risk. Finally, consider disabling or removing the vulnerable shortcode if it is not essential to site functionality.