CVE-2022-0209 in Mitsol Social Post Feed Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2022
The Mitsol Social Post Feed plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in versions up to, and including, 1.10 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the application id parameters. This makes it possible for authenticated (admin+) attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This only affects multi-site installations and installations where unfiltered_html is disabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2025
The CVE-2022-0209 vulnerability resides within the Mitsol Social Post Feed plugin for WordPress, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that affects versions up to and including 1.10. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms specifically targeting application id parameters within the plugin's codebase. The flaw creates a persistent security risk where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers when they access affected pages. The vulnerability's exploitation requires authentication at admin level or higher, making it particularly concerning for WordPress installations where administrative privileges are compromised. Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability operates through the plugin's failure to properly validate and escape user-supplied input before storing and rendering it within web pages, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be leveraged for various malicious activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows established patterns for stored XSS attacks where user input flows through multiple application layers without proper sanitization. The application id parameters serve as the attack vector because the plugin fails to implement proper input validation mechanisms that would prevent malicious script injection. When administrators or privileged users interact with the plugin's administrative interface, they inadvertently store malicious payloads that remain dormant until accessed by other users. This vulnerability specifically impacts multi-site WordPress installations and installations where the unfiltered_html capability is disabled, which represents a significant constraint on the attack surface. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and it can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering or malicious content delivery. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious scripts persist in the database and execute automatically whenever affected pages are loaded, making detection and remediation more challenging.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-0209 extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable complete session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within affected WordPress environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal administrator credentials, modify content, or redirect users to malicious websites. The multi-site installation requirement creates a particularly dangerous scenario where a single compromised site can affect the entire network of interconnected WordPress installations. When unfiltered_html is disabled, the vulnerability becomes more severe as administrators cannot bypass the sanitization mechanisms through direct HTML insertion. This vulnerability affects the core WordPress security model by allowing authenticated attackers to establish persistent backdoors within the application. The risk is amplified in enterprise environments where WordPress installations serve as content management platforms for sensitive data, making the potential for data breaches and unauthorized access particularly significant. Organizations running affected versions must consider the possibility of ongoing compromise since the malicious scripts remain active until properly patched and the malicious content is removed from the database.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0209 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the input sanitization and output escaping deficiencies. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized modifications to plugin files and database entries that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of multi-site installations to identify all affected instances and ensure that administrative privileges are properly restricted. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent script execution even if the underlying vulnerability is not fully patched. Regular security scanning of WordPress installations should include checks for outdated plugins and themes that may contain similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing privileged access controls and multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output escaping practices in web application development, aligning with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Regular patch management procedures should be enforced to ensure that all WordPress plugins and themes are maintained at current security levels. Additionally, security awareness training for administrators should emphasize the risks associated with plugin vulnerabilities and the importance of verifying plugin security before installation.