CVE-2022-1937 in Awin Data Feed Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2022
The Awin Data Feed WordPress plugin through 1.6 does not sanitise and escape a parameter before outputting it back via an AJAX action (available to both unauthenticated and authenticated users), leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2022
The CVE-2022-1937 vulnerability resides within the Awin Data Feed WordPress plugin version 1.6 and earlier, presenting a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that affects both authenticated and unauthenticated users. This vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitise and escape user-supplied input parameters before incorporating them into AJAX responses, creating an exploitable vector for malicious script execution within victim browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the plugin's AJAX handling mechanism where a parameter is directly echoed back to the user without adequate input validation or output escaping. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script payloads within the vulnerable parameter, and this parameter is subsequently processed through the plugin's AJAX endpoint, the malicious code becomes reflected in the response and executed within the context of the victim's browser. This flaw operates as a classic reflected XSS attack where the malicious payload is not stored but rather injected through a maliciously crafted request that is immediately reflected back to the user.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-1937 extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with the ability to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or even perform actions on behalf of authenticated users if they are logged into the affected WordPress site. The vulnerability's accessibility to both unauthenticated and authenticated users significantly increases its exploitation potential and attack surface, as it does not require any prior privileges to exploit. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users may inadvertently click on malicious links or where the vulnerability is discovered through automated scanning tools.
From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines the weakness of cross-site scripting, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links. The lack of proper input sanitization and output escaping represents a fundamental security flaw in the plugin's code architecture that violates core web application security principles. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected installations, as the vulnerability can be exploited without user interaction beyond visiting a malicious link, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing WordPress installations. Additionally, implementing proper content security policies and input validation measures at the web application firewall level can provide additional defense-in-depth protection against exploitation attempts.
The remediation approach should focus on updating to the latest plugin version where the vulnerability has been patched, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly validated and escaped before being included in any output. Security teams should also conduct thorough penetration testing to verify that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the plugin ecosystem and implement monitoring for suspicious AJAX activity that may indicate exploitation attempts.