CVE-2024-53726 Overview
CVE-2024-53726 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the RealtyCandy IDX Broker Extended plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions from initial release through 1.5.1. An attacker can chain the CSRF weakness with Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) to inject persistent malicious scripts into the plugin's stored data. Successful exploitation requires tricking an authenticated administrator into visiting a crafted page. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery.
Critical Impact
Attackers can execute stored JavaScript in administrator browsers by combining CSRF with persistent XSS, leading to session compromise and content manipulation across the WordPress site.
Affected Products
- RealtyCandy IDX Broker Extended WordPress plugin
- All versions up to and including 1.5.1
- WordPress sites running the realtycandy-idx-broker-extended plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-02 - CVE-2024-53726 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-53726
Vulnerability Analysis
The RealtyCandy IDX Broker Extended plugin exposes state-changing actions without verifying the origin of the request. The plugin's administrative endpoints do not validate WordPress nonces or other anti-CSRF tokens before processing submitted data. This omission allows an attacker-controlled web page to issue forged requests against the plugin on behalf of an authenticated administrator.
The forged requests write attacker-supplied input into plugin storage without sanitization. When the stored content is later rendered in the WordPress admin or front-end context, the injected payload executes as JavaScript in the victim's browser. The combination produces a CSRF-to-Stored-XSS chain affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at limited scope. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for technical details.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing CSRF protection on plugin request handlers, paired with insufficient output encoding of stored values. WordPress provides wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() primitives, but the affected handlers do not enforce them. Stored values are also rendered without contextual escaping such as esc_html() or esc_attr().
Attack Vector
An unauthenticated attacker hosts a malicious page containing a hidden form or fetch call targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoint. The attacker lures a logged-in WordPress administrator to the page through phishing or social engineering. The browser automatically attaches the administrator's session cookies, the plugin processes the forged request, and the XSS payload is persisted. Any subsequent page load that renders the stored value triggers script execution.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. The vulnerability mechanism is documented in the linked Patchstack advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53726
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, event handlers, or encoded JavaScript stored in RealtyCandy IDX Broker Extended plugin configuration or content fields
- WordPress administrator sessions originating from unfamiliar IP addresses shortly after visiting external links
- New or modified administrator accounts created without authorized change records
- Outbound HTTP requests from administrator browsers to attacker-controlled domains following plugin page loads
Detection Strategies
- Audit the WordPress database tables associated with the realtycandy-idx-broker-extended plugin for HTML or JavaScript markup in fields expected to contain plain text
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin endpoints lacking a same-origin Referer header
- Inspect browser console errors and Content Security Policy reports for unexpected inline script execution on plugin-rendered pages
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to capture plugin setting changes and the user accounts that initiated them
- Monitor for new administrator account creation, role changes, and plugin or theme installations
- Alert on outbound connections from administrator workstations to newly observed domains immediately after WordPress admin activity
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53726
Immediate Actions Required
- Update RealtyCandy IDX Broker Extended to a version later than 1.5.1 once the vendor releases a patched build
- Deactivate the plugin if no patched version is available and the functionality is not essential
- Force a password reset and session invalidation for all WordPress administrator accounts
- Inspect plugin-managed content for injected scripts and remove any unauthorized payloads
Patch Information
No fixed version is referenced in the current NVD entry. Monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory and the plugin's WordPress.org listing for an updated release addressing CVE-2024-53726.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the WordPress admin interface using IP allowlists or VPN-only access
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks POST requests to plugin endpoints missing a valid same-origin Referer header
- Apply a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts on WordPress admin and front-end pages
- Require administrators to use a dedicated browser profile for WordPress administration to limit cross-site request exposure
# Configuration example: disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI until a patch is available
wp plugin deactivate realtycandy-idx-broker-extended
wp plugin status realtycandy-idx-broker-extended
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
