CVE-2022-0773 in Documentor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/02/2022
The Documentor WordPress plugin through 1.5.3 fails to sanitize and escape user input before it is being interpolated in an SQL statement and then executed, leading to an SQL Injection exploitable by unauthenticated users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2022
The CVE-2022-0773 vulnerability affects the Documentor WordPress plugin version 1.5.3 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated SQL injection attacks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, specifically when processing user-provided data for database operations. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate SQL queries through malicious input, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data or executing arbitrary database commands.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL statements. This represents a classic SQL injection vulnerability that aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require authentication, meaning any user can exploit it without prior access credentials. The plugin's failure to escape user input before SQL interpolation creates an attack surface where malicious payloads can be injected into database queries, potentially leading to complete database compromise.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes WordPress installations running the affected Documentor plugin to significant risks including unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, or administrative access details. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers do not need to establish a valid user session or possess any credentials to initiate the attack, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible WordPress sites. This vulnerability can also serve as a foothold for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling privilege escalation or lateral movement within affected networks.
The exploitation of CVE-2022-0773 aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1190 for exploit public-facing application. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Documentor plugin where the vulnerability has been patched, applying the relevant security updates from the WordPress plugin repository, and implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious SQL query patterns and unauthorized database access attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar sanitization issues in other plugins or custom code components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in preventing SQL injection attacks.