CVE-2022-1298 in Tabs Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/23/2022
The Tabs WordPress plugin before 2.2.8 does not sanitise and escape Tab descriptions, which could allow high privileged users with a role as low as editor to perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1298 affects the Tabs WordPress plugin version 2.2.7 and earlier, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of WordPress installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of tab descriptions, where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms allow malicious input to persist and execute within the web application's context. The flaw is particularly concerning because it enables users with relatively low privileges to exploit this weakness, as the vulnerability can be leveraged by users with the editor role or lower, even when the WordPress installation has restricted the unfiltered_html capability. This capability restriction is typically implemented to prevent less privileged users from injecting potentially harmful code directly into posts and pages, but the vulnerability in question circumvents these protections through the plugin's tab description field.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious user with editor privileges creates or modifies tab descriptions containing malicious script code. The plugin fails to properly sanitize these inputs, allowing HTML and JavaScript code to be stored and subsequently executed when the tab descriptions are rendered on the website. This represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that can be categorized under CWE-79 as "Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')". The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it allows for potential session hijacking, data theft, and further exploitation of the WordPress installation. Attackers can craft malicious tab descriptions that include scripts designed to steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1298 is significant for WordPress administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining website integrity and user data protection. The vulnerability's ability to be exploited by users with editor privileges means that even a compromised low-privilege account can be used to launch more sophisticated attacks against the entire WordPress installation. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where multiple editors or contributors may have access to the system. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege that security professionals implement to protect systems from unauthorized access and malicious activities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1548.003 as "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Sudo and SUID" and T1059.001 as "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic", though the specific execution path involves web-based scripting rather than direct system commands. The attack surface is expanded because the vulnerability can be exploited through the WordPress admin interface, making it accessible to attackers who have gained access to any user account with sufficient privileges to modify tab descriptions.
The recommended mitigation strategy for CVE-2022-1298 involves immediate upgrading to version 2.2.8 or later of the Tabs WordPress plugin, which contains the necessary sanitization and escaping fixes. WordPress administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular plugin updates, monitoring of user activities, and review of user capabilities to ensure that only trusted users have access to the tab description fields. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and output escaping in web applications, particularly in content management systems where multiple user roles interact with the platform. Security teams should consider implementing additional layers of protection including web application firewalls and content security policies to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also conduct regular security audits to identify and remediate other potential XSS vulnerabilities in their WordPress installations, as this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor input handling issues can create significant security risks. The incident underscores the necessity of proper security testing and code review practices in plugin development to prevent such vulnerabilities from reaching production environments.