CVE-2022-1241 in Ask Me Theme
Summary
by MITRE • 06/08/2022
The Ask me WordPress theme before 6.8.2 does not properly sanitise and escape several of the fields in the Edit Profile page, leading to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting issues
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2022
The CVE-2022-1241 vulnerability affects the Ask me WordPress theme version 6.8.1 and earlier, presenting a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that compromises user security. This vulnerability resides within the theme's Edit Profile page functionality where multiple input fields fail to undergo proper sanitization and escaping processes before being rendered back to users. The issue stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied data that flows through the theme's profile editing interface, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into the application's response. The vulnerability specifically impacts the theme's handling of several fields during profile modification operations, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input containing script payloads and submits it through the vulnerable profile fields. When other users view the modified profile or interact with the affected page, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This reflected XSS vector operates because the theme's code fails to properly escape output before rendering user-provided content, violating fundamental web security principles. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the core profile management functionality of WordPress, which is frequently accessed by users and administrators, amplifying the potential impact across various user roles and permissions within the WordPress ecosystem.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1241 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as cookie theft, session fixation, or data exfiltration from authenticated users. The vulnerability's presence in a widely-used WordPress theme means that numerous websites could be compromised simultaneously, particularly those relying on the Ask me theme for their presentation layer. This flaw creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the affected theme is updated to version 6.8.2 or later, where proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms have been implemented. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be executed through social engineering techniques, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with less security-aware users.
Security professionals should prioritize patching this vulnerability immediately by upgrading to Ask me theme version 6.8.2 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output escaping measures. The remediation process should also involve reviewing other custom theme implementations for similar vulnerabilities, as this issue demonstrates a common pattern of insufficient data validation in WordPress themes. Organizations should implement additional security measures such as content security policies and regular security audits of their WordPress installations to identify and mitigate similar issues. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and secure coding practices that should be enforced throughout the application lifecycle. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application vulnerability that can be leveraged for initial access and privilege escalation, making it a critical target for both automated scanning tools and manual security assessments.