CVE-2022-1171 in Vertical Scroll Recent Post Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/09/2022
The Vertical scroll recent post WordPress plugin before 14.0 does not sanitise and escape a parameter before outputting it back in an attribute, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1171 affects the Vertical scroll recent post WordPress plugin version 14.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables malicious actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser. This issue manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. The vulnerability specifically occurs when the plugin processes a parameter that is subsequently reflected back to the user without proper sanitization, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by unsuspecting users. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of user-supplied input that gets directly incorporated into HTML attributes without appropriate security measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to apply proper sanitization techniques to user-controllable parameters before incorporating them into output contexts. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Scripting flaws that occur when web applications fail to properly escape output, allowing malicious scripts to be executed in the victim's browser context. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be crafted to be included in a URL or HTTP request parameter, which is then reflected back by the server to the user's browser. This particular implementation allows attackers to inject script code through parameters that are not properly validated or escaped before being rendered in HTML attributes, specifically targeting the vertical scroll functionality that displays recent posts.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1171 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, defacement of content, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious URL containing a script payload that, when visited by a user with the vulnerable plugin installed, would execute the malicious code in their browser context. This could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts, data exfiltration, or the compromise of the entire WordPress installation if the user has administrative privileges. The vulnerability affects any WordPress site using the affected plugin version, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users may interact with the site. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack vector is typically through phishing emails, malicious links in forums, or compromised websites that redirect users to exploit the vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1171 focus primarily on updating to the patched version 14.0 of the Vertical scroll recent post plugin, which implements proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Security professionals should also implement additional defensive measures including monitoring for suspicious URL patterns and implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1059.007 for scripting and T1566 for phishing techniques, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security monitoring. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify other potentially vulnerable plugins or components within WordPress installations. The remediation process must include not only updating the affected plugin but also verifying that no other components of the WordPress ecosystem contain similar sanitization issues that could be exploited through similar attack vectors.