CVE-2022-2172 in LinkWorth Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2022
The LinkWorth WordPress plugin before 3.3.4 does not implement nonce checks, which could allow attackers to make a logged in admin change settings via a CSRF attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2022
The CVE-2022-2172 vulnerability affects the LinkWorth WordPress plugin version 3.3.3 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress administrative functions. This vulnerability stems from the absence of proper nonce validation mechanisms within the plugin's settings update functionality, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit cross-site request forgery attacks. The flaw specifically impacts the plugin's ability to verify that administrative actions originate from legitimate sources within the WordPress admin interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the plugin's failure to incorporate WordPress's built-in nonce verification system. Nonces serve as time-based tokens that ensure administrative actions are intentionally performed by authorized users and prevent unauthorized modifications to plugin settings. Without these security checks, attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to come from legitimate admin sessions, enabling them to manipulate plugin configurations without proper authentication. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the authentication mechanisms that WordPress relies upon to protect administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive plugin settings that may control user permissions, content display parameters, or integration with external services. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could modify plugin behavior to redirect users to malicious sites, alter content presentation, or potentially establish persistent access points within the WordPress installation. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges beyond access to a logged-in administrator session, making it exploitable through social engineering or session hijacking techniques.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which describes Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) weaknesses in web applications. The flaw also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which involves the use of command and scripting interpreters, as attackers may leverage the compromised plugin settings to execute malicious code. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1547.001, representing the abuse of Windows Management Instrumentation or similar system-level access mechanisms that can be gained through compromised administrative functions.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading the LinkWorth plugin to version 3.3.4 or later, which implements proper nonce validation mechanisms. Administrators should also review their WordPress security configurations, implement additional monitoring for unauthorized plugin changes, and ensure that all administrative users employ multi-factor authentication. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious administrative requests and blocking unauthorized modifications to plugin settings. Organizations should conduct regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins and themes, as the absence of nonce checks represents a common oversight in WordPress plugin development that can lead to significant security compromise.