CVE-2022-27852 in KB Support Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/15/2022
Multiple Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in KB Support (WordPress plugin)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2022-27852 represents a critical security flaw affecting the KB Support WordPress plugin, which is widely used for knowledge base and support ticket management across numerous websites. This vulnerability manifests as multiple unauthenticated stored cross-site scripting flaws that allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's database, which are then executed whenever legitimate users access affected pages. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's handling of user input and data storage mechanisms, creating persistent XSS vectors that can be exploited without requiring authentication credentials from the target system. The affected plugin serves thousands of websites, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could potentially compromise numerous user sessions and data integrity across multiple domains simultaneously.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the KB Support plugin's backend processing functions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious payloads through various input fields that are intended to store user-generated content, such as support ticket descriptions, knowledge base articles, or user comments. These payloads are stored directly in the WordPress database without proper sanitization, allowing the malicious scripts to persist and execute whenever the affected content is rendered to users. The vulnerability is classified as stored XSS because the malicious code is permanently saved in the database rather than being reflected in HTTP responses, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of input data that can lead to unauthorized script execution in web browsers.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-27852 extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate data within the plugin's interface, and even redirect users to malicious websites. Given that the KB Support plugin typically handles sensitive support tickets and knowledge base content, successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to confidential business information, customer data, or proprietary knowledge base entries. The unauthenticated nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not need to possess valid user credentials or administrative privileges to exploit the flaw, significantly increasing the attack surface and potential damage. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which describes the use of malicious scripts to gain unauthorized access to systems, and T1071.001 which covers the use of application layer protocols for command and control communications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple mitigation strategies to protect their systems and users from potential exploitation. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest version of the KB Support plugin where the XSS vulnerabilities have been patched and properly addressed through enhanced input validation and output sanitization. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities in the browser environment, and conduct thorough security audits of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. Regular monitoring of plugin updates and maintaining an updated inventory of all installed plugins with known security issues should become standard operational procedures. Organizations should also implement proper input sanitization at multiple layers including database storage and output rendering to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other parts of their web applications, following the principle of defense in depth as recommended by security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53.