CVE-2022-2532 in Feed Them Social Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2022
The Feed Them Social WordPress plugin before 3.0.1 does not sanitise and escape a parameter before outputting it back in the page, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2022
The CVE-2022-2532 vulnerability resides within the Feed Them Social WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.0.1. This issue represents a classic reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability that exploits the plugin's failure to properly sanitise and escape user-supplied input parameters before incorporating them into HTML output. The vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes a parameter from an HTTP request and directly reflects it back to the user's browser without adequate input validation or output escaping mechanisms. This flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent vector for various cyber attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the typical reflected XSS pattern where an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing JavaScript payload within a parameter that gets processed by the vulnerable plugin. When a victim clicks this crafted link, the malicious script executes in the victim's browser context, leveraging the trust relationship between the user and the legitimate website. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the plugin fails to apply proper sanitisation techniques such as HTML entity encoding or input validation before rendering user-provided data in the page output. This oversight creates an attack surface where any parameter that gets reflected back to the user interface becomes a potential vector for malicious code execution, particularly when the plugin handles social media feed parameters or configuration settings that might be manipulated by unauthenticated users.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2532 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks that compromise user sessions and steal sensitive information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts that capture cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or manipulate the user interface to display fraudulent content. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the attack payload is delivered and executed in a single request cycle, making it particularly effective for phishing campaigns and credential harvesting. Given that WordPress plugins often serve as entry points for broader attacks, this vulnerability could potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges or gain access to administrative functions if the affected site lacks proper security controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a common technique used in the attack chain documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for command and scripting interpreter.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2532 primarily focus on immediate patching of the Feed Them Social plugin to version 3.0.1 or later, which contains the necessary sanitisation and escaping mechanisms. Administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output escaping measures across all user-supplied parameters, ensuring that any data reflected back to users undergoes proper sanitisation before being rendered in HTML contexts. Additional protective measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security audits of installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitisation and output escaping practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and security best practices for web application development. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring systems to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.