Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-0689 lets a WordPress administrator store malicious script through Custom Field Suite meta import data. The script can run when someone views an affected page. The practical risk is limited because administrator privileges are required, and the issue is constrained to multisite sites or sites where unfiltered_html is disabled.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted WordPress hardening item, not an emergency internet-wide exposure. Prioritize affected multisite or restricted-HTML environments, especially where many administrators or delegated site owners can import or manage custom fields.
Technical view
Custom Field Suite for WordPress is vulnerable to stored XSS in versions up to and including 2.6.4. The source attributes this to insufficient sanitization and output escaping of meta values during import. CVSS is 4.4, with high privileges and high attack complexity. CWE-79 applies.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Custom Field Suite <= 2.6.4, especially multisite environments or installations with unfiltered_html disabled. Single-site installs retaining normal administrator unfiltered HTML behavior may not match the stated affected conditions.
Exploitation context
The sources do not indicate active exploitation, and CISA KEV is false. Exploitation requires an authenticated administrator-level user or higher, which lowers broad external attack likelihood but still matters for compromised admin accounts, malicious insiders, or delegated site administrators.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports stored XSS through meta import with admin-level privileges. The public bundle does not provide exploit telemetry or broad product impact beyond Custom Field Suite <= 2.6.4 and the stated WordPress configuration conditions.
Mitigation direction
- Check vendor and WordPress plugin guidance for the fixed Custom Field Suite release.
- Upgrade Custom Field Suite beyond version 2.6.4 when a vendor-supported fix is available.
- Limit administrator access to trusted users only.
- Review whether multisite or unfiltered_html-disabled configurations are necessary.
- Audit recently imported metadata for unexpected script content.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress installations using Custom Field Suite.
- Confirm whether installed versions are 2.6.4 or older.
- Identify multisite deployments and sites where unfiltered_html is disabled.
- Review admin activity for recent meta imports or field changes.
- Verify the referenced WordPress Trac changeset or later release is applied.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-0689 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N1.32.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d8e967ce-fd36-44de-acca-c1985642ee5b?source=cveCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3042177%40custom-field-suite&new=3042177%40custom-field-suite&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.