CVE-2022-1647 in FormCraft Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/08/2022
The FormCraft WordPress plugin before 1.2.6 does not sanitise and escape Field Labels, allowing high privilege users such as admin to perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1647 affects the FormCraft WordPress plugin version 1.2.5 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 field labels within its form creation interface, where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms leave the system susceptible to malicious script injection attacks. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects users with administrative privileges who possess the unfiltered_html capability, yet the vulnerability persists even when this capability is properly restricted, demonstrating a fundamental weakness in the plugin's input validation processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-provided field labels before rendering them in the administrative interface. When administrators create or modify form fields, the labels they input are directly incorporated into the HTML output without adequate sanitization measures. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject script code within field labels, which then executes in the context of other administrators' browsers when they view the form editing interface. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of improper input validation and output encoding, where CWE-79 Cross-Site Scripting is the underlying weakness. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and control through scripting, as the malicious code can potentially establish persistent access vectors within the administrative environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a means to escalate privileges and compromise the WordPress administrative interface. When high-privilege users access the form management interface, their browsers execute the malicious scripts embedded within the field labels, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, inject additional malicious content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it bypasses WordPress's built-in security mechanisms that typically protect against XSS attacks when the unfiltered_html capability is restricted, making it a sophisticated attack vector that undermines the security model of the content management system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1647 require immediate action to update the FormCraft plugin to version 1.2.6 or later, which contains the necessary sanitization fixes. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures including comprehensive input validation for all user-generated content, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The remediation process should include reviewing existing form labels for potential malicious content and implementing Content Security Policy headers to add an additional layer of protection against script execution. Organizations should also consider implementing privileged access management controls and regular security training for administrators to reduce the risk of successful exploitation, as the vulnerability essentially creates a persistent backdoor within the administrative interface that could be leveraged for extended compromise operations.