CVE-2022-0834 in Amelia Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/24/2022
The Amelia WordPress plugin is vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting due to insufficient escaping and sanitization of the lastName parameter found in the ~/src/Application/Controller/User/Customer/AddCustomerController.php file which allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts onto a pages that executes whenever a user accesses the booking calendar with the date the attacker has injected the malicious payload into. This affects versions up to and including 1.0.46.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
The CVE-2022-0834 vulnerability resides within the Amelia WordPress plugin, a popular booking management solution that facilitates online appointment scheduling and calendar management for businesses. This particular flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that emerges from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the plugin's customer management functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the lastName parameter within the AddCustomerController.php file, which processes customer data submissions through the booking calendar interface. The issue affects all versions up to and including 1.0.46, indicating a long-standing problem that has persisted across multiple releases without proper remediation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the lastName parameter during customer registration or booking processes. When an attacker injects malicious JavaScript code into this field, the plugin fails to properly escape or sanitize the input before rendering it on the booking calendar page. This insufficient escaping creates a persistent XSS vector where the malicious payload executes whenever any user accesses the calendar interface, particularly when viewing dates that contain the injected script. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no privileged access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any user with access to the booking system. The attack vector is facilitated through the plugin's handling of user-supplied data in the customer management workflow, where the input validation mechanisms are bypassed or inadequately implemented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. When users access the booking calendar, the injected scripts execute in the context of their browser sessions, potentially allowing attackers to steal authentication cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or manipulate the booking interface to gain unauthorized access to sensitive customer information. The vulnerability's persistence in the calendar interface means that the malicious code remains active until the plugin is updated or the affected data is manually removed, creating a continuous threat vector. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can undermine the security posture of organizations relying on the Amelia plugin for their booking operations, particularly those handling sensitive customer data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0834 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters and escapes all user-supplied data before processing, particularly focusing on the lastName parameter and similar fields within the customer management system. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits of WordPress plugins should include thorough examination of input handling and sanitization practices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and represents a typical example of how inadequate data validation can create persistent security risks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, and establish monitoring procedures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack vector that can be leveraged for initial access and privilege escalation within affected systems, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches to protect against such vulnerabilities.