External risk intelligence

ScottCart Code Injection Vulnerability

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2024-50492

This vulnerability affects a WordPress plugin. WordPress plugins are commonly deployed as part of public-facing web applications, making the attack surface reachable via the internet as a standard web request.

Code Injection

Wpplugin Scottcart

1.1 and earlier

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A critical code injection vulnerability has been identified in the ScottCart plugin, affecting versions up to and including 1.1. This issue could allow attackers to inject and execute malicious code within affected systems. The main concern at this stage is to confirm if this plugin is in use and to what extent.

  • Code can be injected into the system.
  • Confirms plugin usage and exposure level.
  • Assess plugin relevance and operational impact.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to a vulnerable ScottCart installation. This could allow them to inject and execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially leading to full system compromise.

  • No authentication required.
  • Vulnerable component exposed to network.
  • Allows arbitrary code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an unauthenticated attacker to inject and execute arbitrary code on the affected system through the ScottCart plugin when it is supported by the advisory. This could potentially lead to a compromise of the server's integrity and availability.

  • Affected system data could be modified.
  • Code injection via network requests.
  • System compromise and availability loss.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This critical code injection vulnerability in ScottCart affects versions up to and including 1.1. Application owners and platform teams responsible for WordPress environments should prioritize identifying all instances of ScottCart. Once located, assess each deployment for internet reachability and business criticality to inform remediation planning.

  • Application owners own the resolution.
  • Verify ScottCart instances and reachability.
  • Plan remediation based on assessed risk.

Supplementary metadata

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

Frequently asked questions

What is the ScottCart plugin?

ScottCart is a WordPress plugin designed to add e-commerce functionality, such as shopping cart features, to websites. It operates within the WordPress environment, which serves as a content management framework for managing site content and user interactions.

What does CWE-94 mean in CVE-2024-50492?

CWE-94 refers to 'Improper Control of Generation of Code,' commonly known as Code Injection. It means the software does not properly sanitize input, allowing an attacker to insert their own instructions into the program. In this case, the application mistakenly treats untrusted data as executable commands, granting the attacker control over the server.

How does an attacker trigger this vulnerability?

An attacker triggers this by sending a specially crafted network request to the web server where the ScottCart plugin is active. No user interaction or login is required to initiate the attack. If the server does not receive these specific malicious inputs, the vulnerability is not triggered.

Is my site at risk according to Halo Surface Signal?

Halo Surface Signal identifies that because ScottCart is a WordPress plugin, it is frequently installed on public-facing websites. Since the vulnerability is reachable via standard web requests over the internet, any server running an affected version is considered to have an exposed attack surface.

What should I do if I use ScottCart?

First, perform an inventory to confirm if you are running ScottCart version 1.1 or earlier. If you find the plugin, evaluate the criticality of the website where it is installed. Since there is currently no patch mentioned, you should prioritize removing or disabling the plugin until you can confirm a secure update is available.

References