CVE-2022-2092 in WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2022
The WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips WordPress plugin before 2.16.0 doesn't escape a parameter on its setting page, making it possible for attackers to conduct reflected cross-site scripting attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2092 affects the WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips WordPress plugin version 2.16.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that exposes users to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This issue stems from inadequate input sanitization within the plugin's administrative interface, specifically on its settings page where user-supplied parameters are not properly escaped before being rendered back to the browser. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of URL parameters that are directly incorporated into HTML output without appropriate encoding or validation, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the victim's browser context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) as a common web application security weakness occurring when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that attackers must craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that are then reflected back to the victim's browser when they navigate to the compromised page. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's settings page where parameters are directly incorporated into HTML output, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no authentication to exploit and can be delivered through social engineering or phishing campaigns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive administrative credentials, or manipulate the plugin's functionality. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts in the context of an authenticated user's session, potentially gaining full administrative control over the WordPress site. The reflected nature of the attack means that the malicious payload is delivered through a crafted URL that, when visited by an administrator, will execute the script in their browser. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various delivery mechanisms including email phishing, compromised websites, or social media platforms where administrators might be tricked into visiting malicious links.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including updating to version 2.16.0 or later of the WooCommerce PDF Invoices & Packing Slips plugin, which includes proper parameter escaping and input validation. Additionally, administrators should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities and monitor access logs for suspicious URL patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, which are fundamental requirements in the OWASP Top Ten security guidelines and align with the ATT&CK framework's T1566 technique for Phishing. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script payloads, as well as conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or custom code components within their WordPress environments.