CVE-2015-4582
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2015-4582 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Boot Store WordPress theme version 1.6.4. It allows attackers to inject malicious scripts via the tcp_register_error parameter in header.php, which could execute in victims' browsers. WordPress sites using this vulnerable theme version are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Boot Store WordPress theme
📦 What is this software?
Boot Store by Thecartpress
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could steal administrator session cookies, perform account takeover, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites, potentially leading to complete site compromise.
Likely Case
Attackers inject malicious JavaScript to steal user session cookies or credentials, enabling unauthorized access to WordPress admin panels.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and output encoding, the malicious payload would be neutralized, preventing script execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
XSS vulnerabilities are commonly exploited with readily available tools. The specific exploit involves injecting JavaScript via the tcp_register_error parameter.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Update to Boot Store theme version >1.6.4
Vendor Advisory: https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/browser/boot-store
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Appearance > Themes. 3. Check for Boot Store theme updates. 4. If update available, click Update Now. 5. If no update, replace with latest version from WordPress theme repository.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Manual code fix
allApply proper output encoding to the tcp_register_error parameter in header.php
Edit wp-content/themes/boot-store/header.php
Find line 348 (or similar): echo $tcp_register_error;
Replace with: echo esc_html($tcp_register_error);
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or replace the Boot Store theme with a secure alternative
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block XSS payloads targeting tcp_register_error parameter
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress theme version: 1. Review wp-content/themes/boot-store/style.css for Version: 1.6.4. 2. Check if header.php contains unescaped echo $tcp_register_error; around line 348.Check Version:
grep 'Version:' wp-content/themes/boot-store/style.cssVerify Fix Applied:
1. Confirm theme version is >1.6.4. 2. Verify header.php uses esc_html() or similar sanitization for tcp_register_error output.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing suspicious JavaScript in tcp_register_error parameter
- Unusual admin login attempts following XSS payload delivery
Network Indicators:
- Malicious script loading from external domains in page responses
- Suspicious parameter values in theme-related requests
SIEM Query:
web_access_logs WHERE url_parameter CONTAINS 'tcp_register_error' AND (url_parameter CONTAINS '<script' OR url_parameter CONTAINS 'javascript:' OR url_parameter CONTAINS 'onload=' OR url_parameter CONTAINS 'onerror=')