CVE-2022-1192 in Turn Off All Comments Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/23/2022
The Turn off all comments WordPress plugin through 1.0 does not sanitise and escape the rows parameter before outputting it back in an admin page, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1192 affects the Turn off all comments WordPress plugin version 1.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that exposes WordPress administrators to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of user-supplied input in the rows parameter, which is processed without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms before being rendered back to the admin interface. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input through the rows parameter, which is typically used to control the display of comment data in the WordPress admin dashboard. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and injects it through this parameter, the unsanitized data flows directly into the HTML output of the admin page. This creates a reflected XSS vector where the malicious script executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in WordPress environments where administrators frequently access the admin dashboard, as it can be exploited through social engineering tactics or by targeting specific admin users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain persistent access to WordPress installations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially manipulate the plugin's functionality, modify comment settings, or even inject malicious code that persists across multiple admin sessions. The reflected nature of the attack means that the malicious payload must be delivered through a crafted URL, making it susceptible to phishing campaigns or compromised websites that redirect users to malicious URLs. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be enforced in all web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1192 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization issue, as the vulnerability exists in plugin versions through 1.0. Administrators should implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied data before rendering it in the admin interface. The WordPress security community should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, while monitoring for suspicious activity in admin sessions. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and limiting administrative privileges to trusted users can reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output escaping as fundamental security measures, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and various security frameworks that emphasize proper data validation and secure coding practices to prevent XSS attacks.