CVE-2022-2001 in DX Share Selection Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2022
The DX Share Selection plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including 1.4. This is due to missing nonce protection on the dxss_admin_page() function found in the ~/dx-share-selection.php file. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious web scripts into the page, granted they can trick a site's administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
The CVE-2022-2001 vulnerability affects the DX Share Selection plugin for WordPress, representing a critical cross-site request forgery weakness that has significant implications for website security. This vulnerability exists in plugin versions up to and including 1.4, making it a widespread concern for WordPress administrators who have not yet updated their installations. The flaw specifically resides in the dxss_admin_page() function within the ~/dx-share-selection.php file, where proper nonce validation is completely absent. This absence creates a fundamental security gap that allows malicious actors to exploit the plugin's administrative functionality without proper authentication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the lack of proper input validation and authentication checks within the WordPress plugin architecture. When a nonce protection mechanism is missing from administrative functions, it removes the essential cryptographic token that ensures requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-352, which categorizes cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities as those that allow attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability operates under the principle that an attacker can craft malicious requests that, when executed by an administrator, will have unintended consequences within the WordPress environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious web scripts into administrator pages. This injection capability allows for a range of malicious activities including but not limited to credential theft, privilege escalation, and potential complete system compromise. Attackers can exploit this weakness by tricking administrators into clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised websites that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable plugin. The attack vector relies heavily on social engineering tactics where administrators are misled into performing actions that appear legitimate but actually execute malicious code within the context of their administrative sessions. This vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a backdoor mechanism to manipulate plugin settings and potentially gain deeper access to the WordPress installation.
The implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection as it represents a fundamental breach in the security model of WordPress plugins. Administrators who are logged into their WordPress sites and visit compromised pages or click on malicious links can unknowingly execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This situation directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers leverage existing administrative access to execute malicious code. The vulnerability also connects to T1548.002 for Abuse of Group Policy Objects and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it requires both technical exploitation and social engineering elements to be effective. Organizations running vulnerable versions of this plugin face significant risk of data breaches, website defacement, and potential compromise of entire WordPress installations. The lack of proper nonce validation creates an environment where attackers can manipulate administrative functions without detection, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for high-privilege accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate plugin updates to versions that include proper nonce protection mechanisms. WordPress administrators should prioritize updating the DX Share Selection plugin to the latest available version that addresses this specific weakness. Additionally, implementing additional security measures such as regular security audits, monitoring for unusual administrative activities, and maintaining up-to-date security plugins can provide defense-in-depth protection. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication checks within WordPress plugin development, emphasizing that all administrative functions must implement proper nonce verification to prevent CSRF attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems that can detect and block suspicious administrative requests that may attempt to exploit such vulnerabilities.