CVE-2022-1152 in Menubar Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2022
The Menubar WordPress plugin before 5.8 does not sanitise and escape the command parameter before outputting it back in the response via the menubar AJAX action (available to any authenticated users), leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1152 affects the Menubar WordPress plugin version 5.8 and earlier, presenting a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that can be exploited by authenticated users. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's AJAX handling functionality. The issue specifically occurs when the plugin processes the command parameter through the menubar AJAX action, which is accessible to any authenticated user within the WordPress environment. The lack of proper sanitization allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view the affected pages.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly validate and escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into HTTP responses. When an authenticated user submits a request containing malicious JavaScript within the command parameter, the plugin processes this input without adequate sanitization measures. This creates a reflected XSS vector where the malicious script is reflected back to the user's browser and executed in their context. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with valid WordPress credentials can potentially leverage this flaw. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that the AJAX endpoint is designed to be accessible to authenticated users, making the exploitation path relatively straightforward for attackers who have gained access to any valid user account.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can lead to severe consequences including unauthorized access to user sessions, data theft, privilege escalation, and potential complete compromise of the WordPress installation. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal cookies, session tokens, and other sensitive information from authenticated users. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack can be delivered through various vectors including phishing emails, social engineering campaigns, or by compromising a single user account through other means. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and specifically relates to the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1548.002 for Account Access Token for privilege escalation. The impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially compromise the entire WordPress site if attackers can use the stolen credentials to escalate privileges or gain administrative access.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrading to Menubar plugin version 5.8 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the sanitization and escaping issues. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for suspicious user activities, and implementing proper input validation at multiple layers of the application. Network security controls such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by detecting and blocking malicious payloads attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Security monitoring should focus on identifying unauthorized access attempts and unusual AJAX request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential damage from compromised accounts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web applications, particularly in plugins that handle user-supplied data through AJAX endpoints.