CVE-2022-1646 in Simple Real Estate Pack Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/30/2022
The Simple Real Estate Pack WordPress plugin through 1.4.8 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2022
The Simple Real Estate Pack WordPress plugin version 1.4.8 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that arises from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user input within its administrative settings. This flaw specifically affects high-privilege users such as administrators who possess the unfiltered_html capability restriction, creating a significant security risk in WordPress environments where such restrictions are enforced. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize data entered through its settings interface before storing it in the database, allowing malicious scripts to be persistently injected and executed whenever the affected settings are rendered.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the plugin's administrative dashboard where users can configure various real estate listing parameters and display options. When administrators input specially crafted malicious payloads into these settings fields, the plugin stores these unvalidated inputs without proper escaping mechanisms. The stored data is then later rendered in the admin interface or frontend without adequate output sanitization, creating conditions for XSS attacks. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script executes every time the affected page is loaded, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over time.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1646 extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive administrative functions and user data. An attacker with administrator privileges could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, inject malicious scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, or even escalate privileges further within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where administrators may not be fully aware of the security implications of allowing certain types of content input. This flaw can also serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially leading to full system compromise or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the Simple Real Estate Pack plugin to version 1.4.9 or later, which contains the necessary sanitization and escaping fixes. Administrators should also implement strict input validation measures at the WordPress level, ensuring that all user inputs are properly sanitized before storage and that appropriate output escaping is applied during rendering. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative capabilities to only those users who absolutely require them, while also implementing Content Security Policy headers to add additional layers of protection against script injection. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through malicious content, making it a critical concern for organizations maintaining WordPress-based web properties.