CVE-2022-0887 in Easy Social Icons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/04/2022
The Easy Social Icons WordPress plugin before 3.1.4 does not sanitize the selected_icons attribute to the cnss_widget before using it in an SQL statement, leading to a SQL injection vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2022
The CVE-2022-0887 vulnerability resides within the Easy Social Icons WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.1.4. This security flaw represents a classic SQL injection vulnerability that emerges from inadequate input sanitization within the plugin's codebase. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin processes the selected_icons attribute through the cnss_widget function, failing to properly sanitize this parameter before incorporating it into database queries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the selected_icons parameter which is passed to the cnss_widget function. When an attacker crafts malicious input containing SQL payload within this parameter, the unsanitized data gets directly embedded into SQL statements executed against the WordPress database. This creates an attack surface where malicious actors can potentially extract sensitive information, modify database records, or even gain unauthorized access to the underlying database system. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89 which classifies SQL injection as a weakness that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin version. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform unauthorized database operations without proper authentication, potentially leading to data breaches, content tampering, or complete system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as the vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment or establish persistent backdoors. This weakness particularly affects websites that rely heavily on social media integration through the plugin, as the attack surface increases with the number of social icon configurations.
The exploitation of CVE-2022-0887 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.005 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting web applications through SQL injection attacks. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK tactic TA0006 (Credential Access) and TA0008 (Lateral Movement) as successful exploitation could lead to credential theft or further system compromise. Organizations running vulnerable WordPress installations face potential regulatory compliance issues, especially in environments governed by standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS where unauthorized database access constitutes a serious security incident requiring immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve updating the Easy Social Icons plugin to version 3.1.4 or later, which includes proper input sanitization for the selected_icons parameter. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as web application firewalls that can detect and block SQL injection attempts, database query logging for anomaly detection, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The implementation of proper input validation and output encoding practices should be enforced across all WordPress plugin development to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Regular patch management processes and security monitoring should be established to ensure timely identification and remediation of such vulnerabilities across the entire WordPress ecosystem.