CVE-2022-1582 in External Links in New Window Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/30/2022
The External Links in New Window / New Tab WordPress plugin before 1.43 does not properly escape URLs it concatenates to onclick event handlers, which makes Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks possible.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1582 affects the External Links in New Window / New Tab WordPress plugin, specifically versions prior to 1.43. This issue represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts through stored cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization and output escaping within the plugin's handling of URL parameters that are subsequently embedded into onclick event handlers. The flaw exists in the plugin's mechanism for processing external links that should open in new windows or tabs, creating a pathway for persistent malicious code injection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes user-provided URLs and incorporates them directly into HTML onclick attributes without proper HTML escaping or context-aware sanitization. This creates a situation where malicious actors can craft URLs containing script payloads that get executed whenever the affected page is rendered and the onclick handlers are triggered. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once a malicious URL is injected into the system, it persists and affects all users who encounter the malicious link, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple users may interact with the same data. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically focusing on cross-site scripting flaws in event handlers.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1582 extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable full account takeover scenarios, data exfiltration, and further exploitation within the WordPress environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to inject malicious JavaScript that captures user credentials, modifies content, or redirects users to phishing sites. The vulnerability affects WordPress installations where the affected plugin is active, potentially compromising thousands of websites if the plugin is widely used. Given that WordPress powers over 40% of websites globally, the potential attack surface is substantial and the impact could be severe for any organization relying on WordPress for their web presence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate plugin updates to version 1.43 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper URL escaping and input sanitization. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for suspicious URL patterns, and implementing content security policies to limit script execution. The fix should be validated through security testing to ensure that all user-provided URLs are properly escaped when incorporated into onclick handlers. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual patterns in external link processing that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers the use of malicious links to deliver payloads and T1071 which covers application layer protocol usage in command and control communications.