CVE-2024-56257
📋 TL;DR
This DOM-based cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the CoolPlugins Coins MarketCap WordPress plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. Attackers can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. All WordPress sites using Coins MarketCap plugin versions up to 5.5.8 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- CoolPlugins Coins MarketCap WordPress Plugin
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers steal administrator session cookies, gain full control of WordPress site, install backdoors, deface website, or steal sensitive user data.
Likely Case
Attackers steal user session cookies, redirect visitors to phishing sites, or perform limited actions as authenticated users.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and output encoding, malicious scripts are neutralized before execution, preventing exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
DOM-based XSS typically requires user interaction (clicking malicious link) but can be exploited without authentication. Attack vectors include malicious links, forms, or user-generated content.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 5.5.9 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Coins MarketCap' plugin. 4. Click 'Update Now' if update available. 5. If no update available, deactivate and delete plugin, then install fresh version from WordPress repository.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched version is available
wp plugin deactivate coins-marketcap
Content Security Policy
allImplement strict Content Security Policy headers to mitigate XSS attacks
Add to .htaccess: Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline' 'unsafe-eval'"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block XSS payloads
- Disable user input fields that trigger the DOM manipulation vulnerable to XSS
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Coins MarketCap version. If version is 5.5.8 or lower, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get coins-marketcap --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After update, verify plugin version shows 5.5.9 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual JavaScript payloads in URL parameters
- Multiple requests with script tags in query strings
- Unexpected DOM manipulation events
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing <script> tags in parameters
- Requests to external domains with stolen cookie data
SIEM Query:
source="*access.log*" AND ("<script" OR "javascript:" OR "onerror=" OR "onload=")