Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-50535 is a stored cross-site scripting issue in the WordPress Step by Step plugin through version 0.4.5. An authenticated low-privilege user may be able to save unsafe content that executes when another user views it. Business risk is moderate because exploitation requires privileges and user interaction, but it can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability at low levels.
Executive priority
Treat as a scheduled security remediation, not an emergency, unless the plugin is widely deployed or untrusted users can edit content. Prioritize inventory first, then update or remove affected installations according to vendor guidance.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-79 improper neutralization during page generation in Kyle M Brown Step by Step, package step-by-step, affecting versions through 0.4.5. The CVSS 3.1 score is 6.5 with AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L. The source bundle does not identify the vulnerable field, fixed version, or exact remediation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the Step by Step plugin version 0.4.5 or earlier. Sites without the plugin are not exposed based on the provided sources. Risk is higher where low-privilege users can create or edit plugin-rendered content.
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as CISA KEV in the provided bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation. The scoring indicates network reachability, low attack complexity, required low privileges, and required user interaction. No exploit procedure is provided in the sources.
Researcher notes
Evidence is enough to classify the issue and affected version range, but incomplete for root cause, affected parameters, exploit maturity, and fixed version. Avoid assuming a patch exists. Validation should focus on plugin presence, version, activation status, and role-based content editing paths.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the Step by Step plugin and recorded version.
- Update the plugin if vendor or Patchstack guidance names a fixed release.
- Disable or remove the plugin if no supported fix is available.
- Restrict low-privilege content editing to trusted users until remediated.
- Monitor vendor, WordPress, and Patchstack advisories for remediation details.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether step-by-step is installed and active on each WordPress site.
- Verify installed plugin versions and flag 0.4.5 or earlier.
- Review roles allowed to create or edit plugin-rendered content.
- Check logs and content history for unexpected script-like content.
- Retest after update, removal, or access-control changes.
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-2024-50535 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
- 6.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
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.
SSVC decision data
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:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L2.33.7PatchstackVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/step-by-step/vulnerability/wordpress-step-by-step-plugin-0-4-5-stored-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cveCVE reference, Patchstack · vdb-entry
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.