CVE-2022-1971 in NextCellent Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/27/2022
The NextCellent Gallery WordPress plugin through 1.9.35 does not sanitise and escape some of its image settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed (for example in multisite setup)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1971 affects the NextCellent Gallery WordPress plugin version 1.9.35 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk through stored cross-site scripting exploitation. This flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of image settings where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms are implemented, creating an avenue for malicious code injection that can persist across user sessions and potentially compromise multiple system components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input within image configuration parameters. When administrators or users with elevated privileges manipulate image settings through the plugin's interface, the system does not adequately filter or escape potentially malicious script content that could be embedded within image metadata or configuration fields. This insufficient input validation creates a persistent XSS vector that can execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim's browser when they view affected gallery pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning in multisite WordPress environments where the unfiltered_html capability is typically restricted to prevent privilege escalation attacks. In such configurations, administrators may still be vulnerable to XSS attacks through the NextCellent Gallery plugin because the vulnerability specifically targets areas where image settings are processed and stored. This creates a scenario where high-privilege users who should normally be protected by WordPress's capability restrictions can become vectors for XSS exploitation, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions or data exfiltration.
Security implications extend beyond simple script execution as this vulnerability can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that malicious scripts persist in the database and execute whenever affected pages are loaded, making detection and remediation more challenging. Attackers could potentially inject scripts that redirect users to malicious sites, steal cookies, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, all while remaining hidden within legitimate image gallery functionality.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 related to spearphishing attachments and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution. Organizations using WordPress multisite configurations should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates, as well as implement additional security controls such as web application firewalls and regular security scanning to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms should be enforced across all plugin functionalities that handle user-supplied content, particularly within administrative interfaces where elevated privileges exist.