Skip to main content

A new WordPress bug may have left 2 million sites vulnerable

A flaw in two WordPress custom plug-ins leaves users vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks (XSS), according to a recent report.

Patchstack researcher Rafie Muhammad recently discovered an XSS flaw in the Advanced Custom Fields and Advanced Custom Fields Pro plug-ins, which are actively installed by over 2 million users worldwide, according to Bleeping Computer.

The flaw, called CVE-2023-30777 was discovered on May 2 and was given a high-severity prominence. The plug-ins’ developer, WP Engine, quickly provided a security update, version 6.1.6, within days of learning about the vulnerability,on May 4.

The popular custom field builders allow users to have full control of their content management system from the back end, with WordPress edit screens, custom field data, and other features.

However, XSS bugs can be seen in a front-facing fashion and work by injecting “malicious scripts on websites viewed by others, resulting in the execution of code on the visitor’s web browser,” Bleeping Computer added.

This could leave website visitors open to having their data stolen from infected WordPress sites, Patchstack noted.

Specifics about the XSS vulnerability indicate that it might be triggered by a “default installation or configuration of the Advanced Custom Fields plug-in.” However, users would have to have logged-in access to the Advanced Custom Fields plug-in to trigger it in the first place, meaning a bad actor would have to trick someone with access to trigger the flaw, the researchers added.

The CVE-2023-30777 flaw can be found in the admin_body_class function handler, in which a bad actor can inject malicious code. In particular, this bug injects DOM XSS payloads into the improperly drafted code, which is not caught by the code’s sanitize output, a security measure of sorts, which is part of the flaw.

The fix on version 6.1.6 introduced the admin_body_class hook, which blocks the XSS attack from being able to execute.

Users of Advanced Custom Fields and Advanced Custom Fields Pro should upgrade the plug-ins to version 6.1.6 or later. Many users remain susceptible to attack, with approximately 72.1% of WordPress.org plug-in users having versions running below 6.1. This makes their websites vulnerable not only to XSS attacks but also to other flaws in the wild, the publication said.

Editors' Recommendations

Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…
Newegg wants your old GPU — here’s how much you could get
Three graphics cards on a gray background.

Upgrading to a new graphics card can be a hassle, and it has been even more difficult ever since the GPU shortage. Today, there are way too many models to choose from, and keeping track of prices is not easy. In an effort to make things a bit simpler, Newegg has announced a new trade-in program. The online retailer is offering customers a deal in which they send in their existing eligible GPU and receive a trade-in credit amount toward the purchase of a new qualifying graphics card.

According to Amir Asadibagheri, product manager of customer experience for Newegg, “the benefit of our trade-in program is the ease to send a used graphics card and buy a new one all within the same platform and avoiding the hassle of selling through a secondary market.” Newegg has given a list of all Nvidia and AMD graphics cards that are eligible, along with an estimated trade-in value. Notably, the trade-in is limited to Nvidia’s RTX series and AMD’s Radeon 5000 series and beyond.

Read more
Best HP laptop deals: Get a 14-inch Windows laptop for $170
An open HP Spectre x360 16 sits on a table, angled so that the screen and keyboard can be seen.

HP is one of the best laptop brands out there, and they're not afraid to slash their prices. Whether you're looking for cheap Chromebook deals or powerful gaming laptop deals, HP has something to offer. Below we've collected the best laptop deals on HP computers from around the internet. Models include the Pavilion, Victus, 17z and the mighty Omen.

HP 14-inch Laptop -- $170, was $200

Read more
Apple’s cheaper Vision Pro headset may have been scrapped, report claims
Apple Vision Pro being worn by a person while using a keyboard.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset is still months away from launching, but one well-known analyst has already painted a bleak picture for the device. According to the assessment, Apple might have canceled a low-cost version of the Vision Pro, leaving potential customers in the lurch.

The news was published in a report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is thought to have well-placed sources in Apple’s supply chain. Previous leaks have suggested that Apple is working on a cheaper edition of the Vision Pro -- due to launch in 2025 -- to help users who can’t afford the base model’s $3,499 price tag, but Kuo thinks those plans might have been scrapped entirely.

Read more