A critical vulnerability has been discovered in the WordPress theme named “Responsive,” identified as CVE-2024-2848. This flaw allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML content into websites without requiring authentication. Specifically, the vulnerability is located in the footer section of the theme, where attackers can alter footer text through unauthorized modifications. This security gap was exposed due to a lack of a capability check within the theme’s save_footer_text_callback function, making every version up to 5.0.2 susceptible.
The implications of this vulnerability are severe, posing significant risks to website integrity and user safety. Exploitation of the flaw could lead to various malicious activities, including the redirection of visitors to harmful websites or the display of spam and offensive content. These actions can severely damage a website’s reputation and erode the trust of its frequent visitors, potentially leading to a decrease in site traffic and engagement.
In response to the discovery of this vulnerability, the developers of the Responsive theme have taken swift action to address the issue. They have released an update in version 5.0.3, which patches the vulnerability and prevents unauthorized HTML content injection. Additionally, the update introduces strengthened security measures to guard against similar vulnerabilities in the future, aiming to enhance the overall security posture of websites using this theme.
Website administrators using the Responsive theme are strongly encouraged to update to the latest version immediately to protect their sites from potential threats. It is also recommended that they review the footer-copyright option in their WordPress database for any unauthorized changes and regularly monitor their website’s performance and appearance for any unusual activity. Keeping systems up-to-date and maintaining vigilance in monitoring are critical steps in ensuring website security against evolving cyber threats.
