CVE-2024-53712 Overview
CVE-2024-53712 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the kevins-plugin WordPress plugin by kevmimcc. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.0.0. An attacker can chain the CSRF weakness with stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) to inject persistent JavaScript payloads into the application. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery and requires user interaction to trigger. Successful exploitation impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress site, with a scope change indicating effects beyond the vulnerable component.
Critical Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can trick an authenticated administrator into submitting a forged request that stores malicious JavaScript, leading to persistent XSS execution in the context of site visitors and administrators.
Affected Products
- kevmimcc Kevin's kevins-plugin for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through <= 2.0.0
- WordPress installations with the plugin active
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-02 - CVE-2024-53712 published to NVD
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-53712
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability combines two weaknesses: a missing CSRF protection control and inadequate output encoding that enables Stored XSS. The plugin processes state-changing requests without validating an anti-CSRF token (such as a WordPress nonce). An attacker hosts a malicious page that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, silently submits a forged request to the WordPress site. The request stores attacker-controlled content containing JavaScript, which is later rendered without proper sanitization. The exploit requires no privileges from the attacker but does require interaction from the victim. The scope change reflects that injected scripts execute in the browser context of any user who views the affected page.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of CSRF token validation on administrative endpoints within kevins-plugin. WordPress provides wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() helpers for this purpose, but the affected handlers do not enforce nonce checks. The secondary defect is missing output sanitization on stored input, allowing HTML and script content to persist in the database and execute on render.
Attack Vector
Exploitation occurs over the network and requires a logged-in administrator to visit a page controlled by the attacker. The attacker crafts an HTML form or fetch request targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoint. When the victim's browser submits the request, valid session cookies are included automatically. The plugin processes the request as legitimate and stores the malicious payload. Subsequent visits to the affected admin page or front-end view execute the injected script. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53712
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, onerror handlers, or javascript: URIs stored in plugin-managed database tables or wp_options entries
- WordPress access log entries showing POST requests to plugin endpoints with Referer headers pointing to external domains
- Administrator sessions making state-changing requests without an accompanying _wpnonce parameter
- New or modified plugin records created shortly after an administrator visited an untrusted page
Detection Strategies
- Audit the database for stored plugin content containing HTML tags, event handlers, or encoded script payloads
- Compare HTTP request logs against expected administrative workflows to identify requests lacking nonce parameters
- Monitor browser-side telemetry for script executions originating from WordPress admin or front-end pages tied to the plugin
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging to capture plugin configuration changes with user, IP, and timestamp metadata
- Forward web server access logs to a centralized SIEM and alert on POST requests to /wp-admin/ paths with off-site referrers
- Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to surface unauthorized script execution attempts
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53712
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove kevins-plugin from any WordPress installation running version 2.0.0 or earlier until a patched release is confirmed
- Review the WordPress database for stored payloads in plugin tables and wp_options, removing any injected script content
- Force a password reset and session invalidation for administrator accounts that may have been targeted
- Audit recent administrative activity for unauthorized configuration changes or new user accounts
Patch Information
No fixed version is identified in the available advisory. The vulnerability affects all releases up to and including 2.0.0. Monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the plugin's official distribution channel for an updated release. Until a patch is published, removal is the recommended remediation.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/ using IP allowlisting at the web server or WAF layer to reduce CSRF exposure
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks POST requests to plugin endpoints lacking a valid _wpnonce parameter
- Require administrators to use isolated browser profiles for WordPress administration to prevent cross-site request forgery from other browsing sessions
- Apply a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and untrusted script sources on the affected site
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
