A critical security vulnerability identified in the LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress, labeled as CVE-2023-40000, is being actively exploited by cybercriminals. This high-severity flaw, rated at 8.3 on the CVSS scale, allows unauthenticated users to exploit stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities through specially crafted HTTP requests. The exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to create rogue admin accounts on WordPress sites using names like wpsupp-user and wp-configuser. These unauthorized admin accounts provide attackers with full control over the website, enabling them to perform a range of malicious actions from injecting malware to installing other harmful plugins.
The vulnerability was initially disclosed by Patchstack in February 2024 and subsequently patched in October 2023 with the release of LiteSpeed Cache version 5.7.0.1. Despite the availability of a fix, it has been noted that many sites are still running older versions of the plugin. Currently, the latest version of LiteSpeed Cache is 6.2.0.1, released on April 25, 2024. Notably, LiteSpeed Cache is a widely used plugin with over 5 million active installations, and statistics show that 16.8% of all websites using the plugin are still on outdated versions that are vulnerable to attacks.
In response to these ongoing threats, WPScan, which first reported the current exploitation incidents, has recommended several mitigation steps. Website administrators are advised to update their plugins to the latest version immediately, review all installed plugins for any anomalies, and remove any suspicious files and folders. Furthermore, they are encouraged to search their database for specific suspicious strings that could indicate the presence of injected malicious scripts.
The exploitation of the LiteSpeed Cache vulnerability coincides with broader security issues affecting WordPress sites. Security firm Sucuri recently uncovered a redirect scam campaign, dubbed Mal.Metrica, which has compromised at least 17,449 websites in 2024. This scam uses fake CAPTCHA verification prompts to redirect users to fraudulent sites that download malicious software or steal personal information. The campaign leverages vulnerabilities in various WordPress plugins to inject external scripts that mimic CDN or web analytics services. Given these escalating threats, website owners are urged to enable automatic updates for core files, plugins, and themes to enhance their defenses against such cyberattacks.
