WordPress 5.8.1, a security and maintenance release announced last week, fixes 60 bugs and several vulnerabilities.
Users have been informed that the latest update includes three security fixes, including for a data exposure flaw related to the REST API, and a cross-site scripting (XSS) issue in the block editor. WordPress 5.8.1 also updates Lodash, a JavaScript library that provides utility functions for common programming tasks, to address security issues.
These vulnerabilities affect WordPress versions between 5.4 and 5.8. All versions starting with 5.4 have been updated and they include patches for the vulnerabilities.
WordPress developers also mentioned that XSS and privilege escalation vulnerabilities affecting the block editor have been identified and patched during the beta testing period for version 5.8.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has advised users and administrators to review the release notes and upgrade their installations. Websites that support automatic background updates should already be updated.
WordPress websites are always targeted in attacks, but in a majority of cases threat actors exploit vulnerabilities in popular plugins rather than flaws affecting the WordPress core.
Related: Vulnerability That Allows Complete WordPress Site Takeover Exploited in the Wild
Related: Remote Code Execution Flaws Patched in WordPress Download Manager Plugin
Related: WordPress 5.7.1 Patches XXE Flaw in PHP 8
Eduard Kovacs (@EduardKovacs) is a contributing editor at SecurityWeek. He worked as a high school IT teacher for two years before starting a career in journalism as Softpedia’s security news reporter. Eduard holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial informatics and a master’s degree in computer techniques applied in electrical engineering.
More from Eduard Kovacs
- Industrial Giant ABB Confirms Ransomware Attack, Data Theft
- Zyxel Firewalls Hacked by Mirai Botnet
- New Russia-Linked CosmicEnergy ICS Malware Could Disrupt Electric Grids
- Drop in Insider Breaches Drives Decline in Intrusions at OT Organizations
- Zero-Day Vulnerability Exploited to Hack Barracuda Email Security Gateway Appliances
- OAuth Vulnerabilities in Widely Used Expo Framework Allowed Account Takeovers
- New Honeywell OT Cybersecurity Solution Helps Identify Vulnerabilities, Threats
- Rheinmetall Says Military Business Not Impacted by Ransomware Attack
Latest News
- Industrial Giant ABB Confirms Ransomware Attack, Data Theft
- Organizations Worldwide Targeted in Rapidly Evolving Buhti Ransomware Operation
- Google Cloud Users Can Now Automate TLS Certificate Lifecycle
- Zyxel Firewalls Hacked by Mirai Botnet
- Watch Now: Threat Detection and Incident Response Virtual Summit
- NCC Group Releases Open Source Tools for Developers, Pentesters
- Memcyco Raises $10 Million in Seed Funding to Prevent Website Impersonation
- New Russia-Linked CosmicEnergy ICS Malware Could Disrupt Electric Grids
