CVE-2024-53740: WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card XSS Flaw

CVE-2024-53740 Overview

CVE-2024-53740 is a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WPSwings WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin for WordPress. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation [CWE-79]. It affects all versions of woocommerce-ultimate-gift-card up to and including 2.9.1.

Attackers can craft malicious URLs that execute arbitrary JavaScript in the victim's browser when clicked. Successful exploitation requires user interaction but no authentication. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability with a scope change, allowing attackers to influence resources beyond the vulnerable component.

Critical Impact
Attackers can hijack administrator sessions, steal cookies, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated WooCommerce store users through crafted links.

Affected Products

WPSwings WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin versions up to and including 2.9.1
WordPress sites running WooCommerce with the vulnerable plugin enabled
Administrator and customer accounts on affected WooCommerce stores

Discovery Timeline

2024-12-02 - CVE-2024-53740 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-53740

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin's handling of HTTP request parameters. The plugin reflects user-supplied input back into the rendered HTML page without proper sanitization or output encoding. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes in the context of the victim's browser session.

Reflected XSS attacks require the victim to follow a malicious link, typically delivered through phishing emails, social media, or compromised websites. When the victim clicks the link, the malicious payload is reflected by the vulnerable plugin and executed by the victim's browser.

The scope change indicator means injected scripts can access resources beyond the vulnerable plugin, including session cookies, authentication tokens, and other sensitive data accessible to the WordPress site.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input validation and output encoding in the plugin's request handlers. User input is incorporated directly into the HTML response without applying functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses() that WordPress provides for safe output rendering. This is a classic [CWE-79] flaw.

Attack Vector

An attacker constructs a URL pointing to a vulnerable endpoint of the WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin. The URL contains JavaScript payload embedded in a query parameter that the plugin reflects into the page. When an authenticated WordPress administrator or customer visits the URL, the script executes in their session context.

For technical details on the specific endpoint and parameter, see the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53740

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request logs containing <script>, javascript:, onerror=, or onload= strings in query parameters targeting plugin endpoints
Unexpected outbound requests from administrator browsers to attacker-controlled domains following clicks on external links
Unauthorized administrative actions on the WordPress site that coincide with administrator browsing activity
Session cookies appearing in third-party referer logs or external traffic captures

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for URL-encoded payloads containing script tags or JavaScript event handlers in parameters destined for woocommerce-ultimate-gift-card paths
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with signatures for reflected XSS patterns targeting WordPress plugins
Monitor WordPress audit logs for anomalous administrative changes from administrator accounts
Use browser content security policy (CSP) reports to identify inline script execution attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging on the WordPress site and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation
Set alerts on requests with suspicious URL parameter lengths or encoded HTML/JavaScript content
Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress installations to identify vulnerable instances
Monitor referer headers to detect phishing campaigns directing users to crafted plugin URLs

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53740

Immediate Actions Required

Update the WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin to a version newer than 2.9.1 as soon as a fixed release is available from WPSwings
Audit WordPress installations to inventory plugin versions and identify vulnerable instances
Rotate administrator session cookies and force re-authentication for all privileged users
Review WordPress audit logs for unauthorized changes that may indicate prior exploitation

Patch Information

Review the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for vendor remediation status. Apply the latest plugin update from the WordPress plugin repository once published by WPSwings.

Workarounds

Deactivate and remove the WooCommerce Ultimate Gift Card plugin until a patched version is installed
Deploy a WAF rule blocking requests containing script tags or JavaScript event handlers in query parameters
Implement a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) header to restrict inline script execution
Train administrators to avoid clicking unsolicited links pointing to their own WordPress site

bash

# Example Content Security Policy header for WordPress (nginx)
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self';" always;