This article is a part of our Vulnerability Database (back to index)
Cross-site Scripting occurrences in User Registration
The User Registration WordPress plugin before 2.0.2 does not properly sanitise the user_registration_profile_pic_url value when submitted directly via the user_registration_update_profile_details AJAX action. This could allow any authenticated user, such as subscriber, to perform Stored Cross-Site attacks when their profile is viewed (2021-10-04, CVE-2021-24654)
Why Cross-site Scripting can be dangerous
Cross site scripting is an attack where a web page executes code that is injected by an adversary. It usually appears, when users input is presented. This attack can be used to impersonate a user, take over control of the session, or even steal API keys.
The attack can be executed e.g. when you application injects the request parameter directly into the HTML code of the page returned to the user:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=Transaction+Complete
what results in:
<span>Confirmation: Transaction Complete</span>
In that case the message can be modified to become a valid Javascript code, e.g.:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=<script>dangerous javascript code here</script>
and it will be executed locally by the user's browser with full access to the user's personal application/browser data:
<span>Confirmation: <script>dangerous javascript code here</script></span>