CVE-2022-2276 in WP Edit Menu Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2022
The WP Edit Menu WordPress plugin before 1.5.0 does not have authorisation and CSRF in an AJAX action, which could allow unauthenticated attackers to delete arbitrary posts/pages from the blog
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2276 affects the WP Edit Menu WordPress plugin version 1.5.0 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk due to the absence of proper authorization and cross-site request forgery protections in a specific AJAX action. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to exploit the plugin's functionality and delete arbitrary posts or pages from the affected WordPress blog, potentially causing significant data loss and operational disruption. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls that fail to verify user credentials or validate the authenticity of requests submitted through the AJAX endpoint.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the plugin's AJAX handler which lacks proper authentication checks and CSRF token validation. When an attacker crafts a malicious request to the vulnerable AJAX action, the system processes the deletion command without verifying whether the requester possesses the necessary permissions or if the request originates from a legitimate administrative interface. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack surface that can be exploited by any user with access to the vulnerable WordPress installation, regardless of their authentication status. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets WordPress's content management capabilities through the plugin's administrative interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data deletion, as it represents a complete breakdown in the WordPress permission model and content protection mechanisms. An unauthenticated attacker can leverage this vulnerability to cause reputational damage, data loss, and potential service disruption for the affected website. The ability to delete arbitrary posts and pages without authentication undermines the integrity of the content management system and could be used to remove critical information, alter website content, or create confusion among site visitors. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress installations where the WP Edit Menu plugin is actively used, and the impact is amplified when the plugin is configured with default settings or when administrative users have not implemented additional security measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2276 require immediate action to upgrade the WP Edit Menu plugin to version 1.5.0 or later, which contains the necessary authorization and CSRF protections. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including regular plugin audits, monitoring for unauthorized changes, and ensuring that all WordPress components remain updated. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and CWE-285, which covers improper authorization. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for malicious file execution, representing a critical compromise in the WordPress ecosystem's security posture. Administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls, restricting access to administrative interfaces, and maintaining comprehensive backup strategies to recover from potential exploitation of this vulnerability.