CVE-2022-1506 in WP Born Babies Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/08/2022
The WP Born Babies WordPress plugin through 1.0 does not sanitise and escape some of its fields, which could allow users with a role as low as contributor to perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2022
The WP Born Babies WordPress plugin version 1.0 contains a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects the broader WordPress ecosystem. This vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input within the plugin's administrative interfaces. The flaw specifically targets fields that handle user data submissions, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject persistent script code into the application's response. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it can be exploited by users with minimal privileges, specifically those holding the contributor role within the WordPress access control system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws that occur when untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or escaping. In the context of WordPress, this means that when contributor-level users interact with the plugin's administrative forms, their input is not properly filtered through sanitization routines before being rendered back to other users. The attack vector typically involves crafting malicious script payloads within the plugin's configurable fields, which then execute in the browsers of other users who view the affected content. This creates a persistent threat where malicious scripts can perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or defacing the website's content.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1506 extends beyond simple script injection, as it represents a significant privilege escalation threat within WordPress environments. Since contributors can execute this attack, it demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement within the plugin's security model. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate plugin functionality but can also serve as a foothold for more extensive attacks, potentially allowing threat actors to escalate their access to higher privilege levels within the WordPress installation. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where contributors might have access to sensitive data or administrative functions through the plugin's interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization issues, as well as implementing comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. Administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as content security policies to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, and regular security audits of installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically noting that XSS vulnerabilities can be used as initial access vectors for more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should also implement proper access control reviews to ensure that users with contributor roles cannot manipulate plugin interfaces in ways that compromise system integrity, and consider using web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts.