CVE-2022-1830 in Amazon Einzeltitellinks Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2022
The Amazon Einzeltitellinks WordPress plugin through 1.3.3 does not have CSRF check in place when updating its settings, which could allow attackers to make a logged in admin change them via a CSRF attack and lead to Stored Cross-Site Scripting due to the lack of sanitisation and escaping
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The Amazon Einzeltitellinks WordPress plugin version 1.3.3 and earlier contains a critical security vulnerability classified as CVE-2022-1830 that stems from the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery protection mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's administrative settings update functionality, where no anti-CSRF tokens are implemented to validate the authenticity of requests. The flaw allows authenticated attackers with administrative privileges to manipulate the plugin's configuration through maliciously crafted cross-site requests, potentially enabling unauthorized changes to the plugin's operational parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic CSRF weakness where the plugin fails to validate the origin of update requests sent to its administrative endpoints. When administrators navigate to the plugin settings page and submit updates, the system does not verify that the request originates from a legitimate administrative session. This absence of CSRF protection creates an exploitable vector where an attacker could craft a malicious webpage containing hidden form submissions or JavaScript code that, when executed in the context of an authenticated administrator's browser, would silently modify the plugin's configuration parameters. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the administrative level, providing attackers with elevated privileges within the WordPress environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes and creates a pathway for more severe security compromises. The lack of proper sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase creates an environment where malicious input can be stored and subsequently executed as JavaScript code within the browser context of other users. This stored XSS vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that can persist in the plugin's settings and execute whenever the affected pages are loaded. The combination of CSRF and stored XSS creates a dangerous attack surface where an attacker can establish persistent malicious presence within the WordPress installation, potentially enabling session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further privilege escalation attacks.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues, and demonstrates the importance of implementing proper request validation mechanisms. The weakness also relates to CWE-79, which covers Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, highlighting how the absence of proper input sanitization and output escaping creates an environment where malicious code can be stored and executed. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering techniques, as attackers can leverage the administrative access to manipulate plugin settings and create persistent threats. The vulnerability also intersects with T1059 for command and scripting interpreters, as the stored XSS allows for execution of malicious scripts that can further compromise the system.
The recommended mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of the plugin to version 1.3.4 or later, which should include proper CSRF token implementation and enhanced input sanitization. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as enabling WordPress's built-in nonce verification for administrative actions, implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conducting regular security audits of installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. Administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CSRF attempts, and establish monitoring procedures to identify unauthorized changes to plugin configurations. Additionally, regular security training for administrators on recognizing social engineering attempts and maintaining strong authentication practices can help reduce the risk of successful exploitation of this type of vulnerability.