📄 Description (English)
The Simple Shopping Cart plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'wpsc_display_product' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 5.2.4 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
The Simple Shopping Cart WordPress plugin versions up to 5.2.4 contain a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'wpsc_display_product' shortcode due to insufficient input sanitization. Authenticated attackers with contributor-level access can inject malicious scripts that execute for all users viewing affected pages. While currently unpatched, the vulnerability requires authenticated access, limiting immediate risk but posing significant threats to e-commerce platforms and content management systems widely used in Saudi Arabia.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 14, 2026 06:01
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi e-commerce platforms, particularly those operating under SAMA oversight for payment processing. Government agencies using WordPress for content management and public-facing portals are at risk. Telecom sector (STC, Mobily) and retail organizations leveraging WordPress-based shopping solutions face potential customer data exposure and brand reputation damage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations subject to NCA cybersecurity requirements, as stored XSS can lead to customer credential theft, malware distribution, and compliance violations. SMEs and startups in the Saudi digital economy using this plugin are especially vulnerable due to limited security resources.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
E-commerce and Retail
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Healthcare
Telecommunications
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Digital Marketing and Content Management
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Audit all WordPress installations using Simple Shopping Cart plugin versions ≤5.2.4
2. Identify all pages/posts using the 'wpsc_display_product' shortcode
3. Review user access logs for contributor-level and above accounts for suspicious activity
4. Disable the plugin immediately if not critical to operations
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Monitor official plugin repository for security updates (currently no patch available)
2. Contact plugin developers for patch timeline and interim security guidance
3. Consider migrating to alternative, actively maintained e-commerce plugins (WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads)
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (until patch available):
1. Restrict contributor-level access to trusted personnel only; implement role-based access controls
2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block XSS payloads in shortcode attributes
3. Enable WordPress security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) with XSS detection capabilities
4. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent inline script execution
5. Regular security audits of all shortcode usage and user-generated content
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor database for 'wpsc_display_product' shortcodes containing script tags or event handlers (onclick, onerror, onload)
2. Alert on any modifications to posts/pages containing this shortcode by contributor+ accounts
3. Log and review all contributor-level account creations and permission escalations
4. Implement IDS/IPS signatures for XSS payloads in WordPress post content
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع تثبيتات WordPress التي تستخدم مكون Simple Shopping Cart الإصدارات ≤5.2.4
2. تحديد جميع الصفحات والمنشورات التي تستخدم اختصار 'wpsc_display_product'
3. مراجعة سجلات الوصول للمستخدمين على مستوى المساهم وما فوقه للنشاط المريب
4. تعطيل المكون فوراً إذا لم يكن حرجاً للعمليات
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. مراقبة مستودع المكونات الرسمي للتحديثات الأمنية (لا يوجد تصحيح متاح حالياً)
2. التواصل مع مطوري المكون للحصول على جدول زمني للتصحيح والإرشادات الأمنية المؤقتة
3. النظر في الهجرة إلى مكونات التجارة الإلكترونية البديلة المدعومة بنشاط (WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads)
الضوابط التعويضية (حتى توفر التصحيح):
1. تقييد وصول المساهمين إلى الموظفين الموثوقين فقط؛ تنفيذ ضوابط الوصول القائمة على الأدوار
2. تنفيذ قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) للكشف عن حمولات XSS وحجبها في سمات الاختصار
3. تفعيل مكونات أمان WordPress (Wordfence, Sucuri) مع قدرات كشف XSS
4. تنفيذ رؤوس Content Security Policy (CSP) لمنع تنفيذ النصوص البرمجية المضمنة
5. التدقيق الأمني المنتظم لجميع استخدامات الاختصار والمحتوى الذي ينشئه المستخدم
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة قاعدة البيانات لاختصارات 'wpsc_display_product' التي تحتوي على علامات النصوص البرمجية أو معالجات الأحداث (onclick, onerror, onload)
2. التنبيه على أي تعديلات على المنشورات/الصفحات التي تحتوي على هذا الاختصار من قبل حسابات المساهم+
3. تسجيل ومراجعة جميع عمليات إنشاء حسابات المساهمين وترقيات الأذونات
4. تنفيذ توقيعات IDS/IPS لحمولات XSS في محتوى WordPress
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Information security requirements for supplier relationships
ECC 2024 A.14.2.5 - Addressing information security in supplier agreements
ECC 2024 A.5.23 - Access control and authentication mechanisms
ECC 2024 A.6.6 - Application security and secure development
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.BE-3.1 - Organizational resilience and risk management
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access control policies and procedures
SAMA CSF PR.DS-2 - Data security and protection
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and monitoring capabilities
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.15 - Access control
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.16 - Authentication
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.22 - Web application security
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.24 - Protection of information systems services
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.5.1 - Injection flaws prevention
PCI DSS 6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting (XSS) prevention
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security patches and updates
PCI DSS 7.1 - Limit access to system components