Question 1

What versions of Shareaholic are affected by this vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

What versions of Shareaholic are affected by this vulnerability?

The vulnerability affects Shareaholic versions up to and including 9.7.8. Any site running an affected version is potentially vulnerable and should update as soon as possible. Shareaholic has patched the issue in version 9.7.9.

Question 2

How serious is this vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

How serious is this vulnerability?

This vulnerability is quite serious, with a CVSS severity score of 6.4 out of 10. It allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript payloads into pages and posts. This could let them steal user sessions, harvest data, or deface sites without obvious outward signs. The ease of exploit means compromised sites may not show clear indicators.

Question 3

How can I tell if my site has been compromised by this vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

How can I tell if my site has been compromised by this vulnerability?

Carefully review your site for unauthorized admin users added, changes to existing content, or new unexpected posts/pages added. Also scan files for any injected code. If possible, have a developer fully review the site's files and database for signs of compromise. Strange behavior reported by users can also indicate an attack.

Question 4

I have a caching plugin, am I still vulnerable?

Accepted Answer

I have a caching plugin, am I still vulnerable?

Yes, caching plugins do not protect against this stored XSS vulnerability. The malicious JavaScript will still persist and execute from the database or files. Flushing the cache after updating Shareaholic is recommended.

Question 5

What can attackers do if they exploit this vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

What can attackers do if they exploit this vulnerability?

Successful exploitation could let them do things like steal session cookies to hijack logins, extract sensitive data from databases and files, inject ads or unwanted content, add backdoors, install malware, and more. The impacts depend on the attacker's motivations.

Question 6

Could updating Shareaholic cause any issues with my site?

Accepted Answer

Could updating Shareaholic cause any issues with my site?

Updating plugins can sometimes cause conflicts, which is why testing on a staging site is recommended first. However, Shareaholic 9.7.9 is purely a security patch, so no major issues are expected. Deactivate and reactivate the plugin after updating just in case.

Question 7

How can I prevent vulnerabilities like this in the future?

Accepted Answer

How can I prevent vulnerabilities like this in the future?

Always keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated to the latest versions. Enable auto-updates where possible. Limit plugins installed to only what's needed. Perform frequent security scans and have vulnerabilities remediated quickly.

Question 8

Are other Shareaholic plugins affected?

Accepted Answer

Are other Shareaholic plugins affected?

No, this vulnerability is only in the main Shareaholic plugin, not their other plugins for related functionality. However, always ensure any Shareaholic plugins installed are updated to the newest versions.

Question 9

Should I find an alternate to Shareaholic due to this?

Accepted Answer

Should I find an alternate to Shareaholic due to this?

Shareaholic quickly patched this vulnerability in v9.7.9, so the plugin can still be used safely after updating. However, switching to alternate social sharing plugins is an option if you remain concerned.

Question 10

What other steps can I take to improve my site's security?

Accepted Answer

What other steps can I take to improve my site's security?

Use strong passwords, limit admin accounts, be wary of file uploads, monitor user activity logs, use captcha, leverage a web application firewall, maintain regular backups, and consider a managed security service if you lack resources.

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