CVE-2024-9704 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the Social Sharing (by Danny) WordPress plugin developed by dvankooten. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of user-supplied input within the 'dvk_social_sharing' shortcode, which fails to adequately sanitize and escape attributes before rendering them on web pages. This flaw allows authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that is stored persistently in the website's content. When any user, including administrators or visitors, accesses a page containing the malicious shortcode, the injected script executes in their browser context. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, defacement, or distribution of malware. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.3.7. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges, no user interaction, and a scope change. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's presence in a popular WordPress plugin makes it a significant risk. The issue was publicly disclosed on October 12, 2024, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability's exploitation requires authenticated access, which limits exposure but still poses a risk in environments where contributor access is granted to untrusted users or where accounts may be compromised.

The impact of CVE-2024-9704 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the vulnerable site, potentially leading to theft of session cookies, user credentials, or other sensitive information. Attackers may also deface websites, redirect users to malicious domains, or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users, including administrators. This can damage the reputation of organizations, lead to data breaches, and facilitate further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. Since the vulnerability requires contributor-level access, the risk is elevated in environments with weak access controls or compromised accounts. The scope includes any website using the vulnerable plugin, which could be numerous given WordPress's global popularity. The lack of user interaction requirement means the attack can be automated once the malicious shortcode is injected. Organizations relying on this plugin for social sharing features are at risk of persistent compromise until the vulnerability is remediated.

To mitigate CVE-2024-9704, organizations should first verify if they use the Social Sharing (by Danny) plugin and identify the installed version. Since no official patch is linked yet, immediate mitigation steps include restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the number of users with permissions to add or edit shortcodes. Administrators should audit existing content for suspicious or unexpected 'dvk_social_sharing' shortcode usage and remove any untrusted entries. Implementing a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious script injections targeting this shortcode can provide additional protection. Site owners should monitor logs for unusual activity related to shortcode usage or content modifications. Once an official patch or update is released by the vendor, it should be applied promptly. Additionally, applying general WordPress security best practices such as strong authentication, least privilege principles, and regular backups will reduce the risk and impact of exploitation.