CVE-2024-6712 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the MapFig Studio WordPress plugin up to version 0.2.1. The vulnerability arises due to the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protections in certain parts of the plugin, combined with insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This flaw enables an attacker to craft a CSRF attack that forces a logged-in administrator to unknowingly inject stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) payloads into the application. Stored XSS occurs when malicious scripts are permanently stored on the target server, for example in a database, and executed in the browsers of users who access the affected content. In this case, the attacker leverages the lack of CSRF tokens to trick an authenticated admin into submitting malicious input, which is then stored and later executed in the context of the WordPress admin or site visitors. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation) and CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.1, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction (the admin to be logged in and tricked). The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component. There are no known exploits in the wild and no patches currently available. The affected product is a WordPress plugin, which is a common attack surface due to the widespread use of WordPress. The vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the admin or site users, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or further compromise of the WordPress site.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the MapFig Studio plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of their web platforms. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized execution of scripts that steal admin credentials, manipulate site content, or perform administrative actions without consent. This can result in defacement, data leakage, or the insertion of malicious content targeting site visitors, damaging reputation and trust. Since the attack requires a logged-in admin to be tricked via CSRF, organizations with multiple administrators or less stringent internal security awareness are at higher risk. The lack of patches means the vulnerability remains exploitable if the plugin is in use. Given the popularity of WordPress in Europe for business, government, and media websites, exploitation could disrupt services and compromise sensitive information. Additionally, the stored XSS could be leveraged to launch further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution targeting European users. The medium severity suggests moderate urgency but should not be ignored, especially in sectors with high regulatory requirements for data protection such as finance, healthcare, and public administration.

1. Immediate mitigation involves disabling or uninstalling the MapFig Studio plugin until a security patch is released. 2. If the plugin is essential, restrict administrative access to trusted users only and implement strict session management and multi-factor authentication to reduce risk from compromised admin accounts. 3. Educate administrators about the risks of CSRF and the importance of not clicking on suspicious links or performing actions from untrusted sources while logged in. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious CSRF attempts and XSS payloads targeting the plugin’s endpoints. 5. Monitor logs for unusual admin activity or unexpected content changes that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Regularly update WordPress core and other plugins to minimize the attack surface. 7. Once a patch is available, apply it promptly and verify that input sanitization and CSRF protections are properly implemented. 8. Conduct security audits and penetration testing focusing on plugin vulnerabilities and CSRF/XSS attack vectors.