CVE-2024-29923 Overview
CVE-2024-29923 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the PropertyHive WordPress plugin developed by wp-property-hive. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.0.8. It stems from improper neutralization of user input during web page generation, classified under [CWE-79]. An attacker can craft a malicious URL that, when clicked by a victim, executes arbitrary JavaScript in the victim's browser under the site's origin. The scope is changed, meaning injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component. Exploitation requires user interaction but no authentication.
Critical Impact
A successful attack can hijack authenticated sessions, steal cookies, deface pages, or redirect users to attacker-controlled content when they visit a crafted PropertyHive URL.
Affected Products
- PropertyHive plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 2.0.8
- WordPress sites running the wp-property-hive:propertyhive component
- Real estate websites using PropertyHive for property listings management
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-03-27 - CVE-2024-29923 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-29923
Vulnerability Analysis
The PropertyHive plugin reflects attacker-controlled input from HTTP request parameters back into rendered HTML without proper output encoding or input sanitization. When a user visits a URL containing the malicious payload, the response embeds the payload directly in the page, causing the browser to execute it as script.
Because the scope is changed, the injected script can access resources beyond the vulnerable plugin context. This enables session theft on WordPress administrative sessions, cross-origin data access within the site, and drive-by delivery of secondary payloads. The vulnerability requires the victim to click a crafted link, making phishing and social engineering the primary delivery mechanism.
Root Cause
The underlying defect is missing or insufficient output encoding when rendering user-supplied query parameters into HTML contexts. PropertyHive versions through 2.0.8 fail to apply WordPress escaping functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or esc_url() before echoing request data into templates. Refer to the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for parameter-level technical details.
Attack Vector
Exploitation occurs over the network with low complexity and no privileges required. An attacker crafts a URL to a vulnerable PropertyHive endpoint containing a JavaScript payload in a reflected parameter. The attacker then delivers the URL through email, social media, or a malicious site. When the victim clicks the link, the payload executes in the browser under the WordPress site's origin.
The vulnerability is described in prose because no verified public proof-of-concept code has been released. See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-29923
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP request logs containing script tags, event handlers such as onerror= or onload=, or javascript: URIs in query parameters targeting PropertyHive endpoints
- Referer headers pointing to attacker-controlled domains preceding requests to /wp-content/plugins/propertyhive/ paths
- Unexpected outbound requests from WordPress admin sessions to unknown domains shortly after a user clicked an external link
Detection Strategies
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule to identify reflected XSS payloads in query strings destined for PropertyHive URLs
- Correlate WordPress access logs with authenticated admin activity to identify session anomalies following suspicious link clicks
- Monitor browser console errors and Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reports for inline script executions on PropertyHive pages
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose HTTP access logging on the web server and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform for pattern matching
- Alert on requests containing URL-encoded payloads such as %3Cscript%3E, %3Cimg, or %3Csvg targeting PropertyHive parameters
- Track PropertyHive plugin version across all WordPress installations and flag any host still running version 2.0.8 or earlier
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-29923
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the PropertyHive plugin to a version later than 2.0.8 as soon as a fixed release is available from the vendor
- Audit web server and WordPress logs for suspicious query strings targeting PropertyHive endpoints since March 2024
- Force password resets and session invalidation for WordPress administrators if evidence of exploitation exists
Patch Information
The advisory identifies all versions of PropertyHive up to and including 2.0.8 as vulnerable. Administrators should consult the vendor's plugin page on the WordPress repository and the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for the latest fixed version. Apply the update through the WordPress admin dashboard or by replacing plugin files directly.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the PropertyHive plugin until a patched version is installed if immediate updating is not feasible
- Deploy a WAF ruleset that blocks reflected XSS patterns on all wp-content/plugins/propertyhive/ request paths
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) that disallows inline scripts and restricts script sources to trusted origins
# Example Content Security Policy header for Apache
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; frame-ancestors 'self'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
