WordPress Simple Slideshow Manager 2.2 Cross Site Scripting

DefenseCode ThunderScan SAST Advisory
WordPress Simple Slideshow Manager Plugin
Multiple Security Vulnerabilities


Advisory ID: DC-2017-0
DefenseCode ThunderScan SAST Advisory
WordPress Simple Slideshow Manager Plugin
Multiple Security Vulnerabilities


Advisory ID: DC-2017-02-016
Advisory Title: WordPress Simple Slideshow Manager Plugin Multiple
Vulnerabilities
Advisory URL: http://www.defensecode.com/advisories.php
Software: WordPress Simple Slideshow Manager Plugin
Language: PHP
Version: 2.2 and below
Vendor Status: Vendor contacted, update released
Release Date: 2017/05/29
Risk: Medium



1. General Overview
===================
During the security audit of Simple Slideshow Manager plugin for
WordPress CMS, multiple vulnerabilities were discovered using
DefenseCode ThunderScan application source code security analysis
platform.

More information about ThunderScan is available at URL:
http://www.defensecode.com


2. Software Overview
====================
According to the plugin developers, Simple Slideshow Manager is "The
easy and best slideshow manager plugin where you can create any number
of slideshow. Can have any number of video or image slides, Enjoy
displaying slideshow using widgets, shortcodes or php codes." It has
more than 9,000 active installs according to wordpress.org.

Homepage:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-slideshow-manager/
http://www.acurax.com/products/simple-slideshow-manager/


3. Vulnerability Description
==================================
During the security analysis, ThunderScan discovered
Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities in Simple Slideshow Manager
WordPress plugin.

The Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities can enable the attacker to
construct the URL that contains malicious JavaScript code. If the
administrator of the site makes a request to such an URL, the
attacker's code will be executed, with unrestricted access to the
WordPress site in question. The attacker can entice the administrator
to visit the URL in various ways, including sending the URL by email,
posting it as a part of the comment on the vulnerable site or another
forum.

In the specific case of the second Cross-Site scripting vulnerability
(3.2), some modern browsers URL encode the < and > characters. The
easiest way to reproduce the vulnerability is to use Internet
Explorer, or older version of some other browser.


3.1. Cross-Site Scripting
Function: echo
Variable: $_GET['name']
Sample URL:
http://www.vulnerablesite.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=Acurax-Slideshow-Add-Images&name="></script><script>alert(42)</script>
File: simple-slideshow-managerincludesoption_fields.php
---------
1276 $acx_selected_gallery_name = trim($_GET['name']);
...
1282 <input type = "text" autocomplete="off" id = "rename" name =
"rename" class="field" value="<?php echo $acx_selected_gallery_name;
?>" onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = '<?php echo
$acx_selected_gallery_name; ?>';}" onfocus="if (this.value == '<?php
echo $acx_selected_gallery_name; ?>') {this.value = '';}" />
---------

3.2. Cross-Site Scripting
Function: echo
Variable: $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']
Sample URL:
http://www.vulnerablesite.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=Acurax-Slideshow-Add-Images&name="></script><script>alert(42)</script>
File: simple-slideshow-managerincludesoption_fields.php
---------
1284 <input type = "hidden" id = "url" name = "url" value = "<?php
echo str_replace( '%7E', '~', $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']); ?>"/>
---------


4. Solution
===========
Vendor resolved the security issues after we reported the
vulnerabilities. All users are strongly advised to update WordPress
Simple Slideshow Manager plugin to the latest available version.


5. Credits
==========
Discovered with DefenseCode ThunderScan source code security analyzer
by Neven Biruski.


6. Disclosure Timeline
======================
2017/03/28 Vendor contacted
2017/04/06 Update released
2017/05/29 Advisory released to the public


7. About DefenseCode
====================
DefenseCode L.L.C. delivers products and services designed to analyze
and test web, desktop and mobile applications for security
vulnerabilities.

DefenseCode ThunderScan is a SAST (Static Application Security
Testing, WhiteBox Testing) solution for performing extensive security
audits of application source code. ThunderScan SAST performs fast and
accurate analyses of large and complex source code projects delivering
precise results and low false positive rate.

DefenseCode WebScanner is a DAST (Dynamic Application Security
Testing, BlackBox Testing) solution for comprehensive security audits
of active web applications. WebScanner will test a website's security
by carrying out a large number of attacks using the most advanced
techniques, just as a real attacker would.

Subscribe for free software trial on our website
http://www.defensecode.com/ .

E-mail: defensecode[at]defensecode.com

Website: http://www.defensecode.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DefenseCode/