September WordPress Updates
WordPress just pushed out their latest update, 5.2.3 to fix several updates. This security and maintenance release features 29 fixes and enhancements. Plus, it adds a number of security fixes—see the list below. These bugs affect WordPress versions 5.2.2 and earlier; version 5.2.3 fixes them, so you’ll want to upgrade. This is a mid-cycle release. The next major release will be WordPress 5.3.
The Technical Stuff
- Props to Simon Scannell of RIPS Technologies for finding and disclosing two issues. The first, a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in post previews by contributors. The second was a cross-site scripting vulnerability in stored comments.
- Props to Tim Coen for disclosing an issue where validation and sanitization of a URL could lead to an open redirect.
- Props to Anshul Jain for disclosing reflected cross-site scripting during media uploads.
- Props to Zhouyuan Yang of Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs who disclosed a vulnerability for cross-site scripting (XSS) in shortcode previews.
- Props to Ian Dunn of the Core Security Team for finding and disclosing a case where reflected cross-site scripting could be found in the dashboard.
- Props to Soroush Dalili (@irsdl) from NCC Group for disclosing an issue with URL sanitization that can lead to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
- In addition to the above changes, we are also updating jQuery on older versions of WordPress. This change was added in 5.2.1 and is now being brought to older versions.
If your site didn’t automatically update, you can download it yourself by visiting your dashboard and go to the Updates section and click the Update Now. If you have a hosting site that supports automatic updates, then your site is probably already updated. Before you start, make sure you have a good backup in place and then update. If you need help, please feel free to contact me.
