CVE-2022-2937 in Image Hover Effects Ultimate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/23/2022
The Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the Title & Description values that can be added to an Image Hover in versions up to, and including, 9.7.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. By default, the plugin only allows administrators access to edit Image Hovers, however, if a site admin makes the plugin's features available to lower privileged users through the 'Who Can Edit?' setting then this can be exploited by those users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2022
The CVE-2022-2937 vulnerability affects the Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin for WordPress, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines web application security. This vulnerability exists in versions up to and including 9.7.3, making it a persistent threat to WordPress installations that utilize this plugin. The flaw specifically targets the Title and Description input fields used within the Image Hover functionality, creating a pathway for malicious code injection that can persist across user sessions and page loads.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When users input content into the Title and Description fields, the plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before storing them in the database. Additionally, the output rendering process does not adequately escape the stored data when displayed on web pages, creating an environment where malicious scripts can be executed in the context of other users' browsers. This combination of input validation failure and output escaping deficiency allows attackers to inject persistent malicious code that executes whenever affected pages are accessed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables authenticated attackers to perform a range of malicious activities within the targeted WordPress environment. Attackers can inject various types of malicious scripts including but not limited to JavaScript payloads that could steal user session cookies, redirect visitors to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's exploitation requires authentication privileges, limiting its scope to users who have been granted editing capabilities within the plugin's interface, though this limitation does not prevent significant damage since administrators can grant editing access to lower-privileged users.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for the initial access phase through malicious content injection. The vulnerability's configuration-based accessibility means that even if the plugin defaults to administrator-only access, organizations that extend editing privileges to other user roles inadvertently create attack vectors that can be exploited by users with compromised credentials or those who gain unauthorized access to lower-privileged accounts. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user WordPress environments where role-based access control is implemented but not properly enforced.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched version of the Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin, reviewing and restricting user permissions within the plugin's configuration, and implementing additional security measures such as web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins should include verification of input sanitization practices and output escaping mechanisms, with particular attention to plugins that handle user-generated content. System administrators should also consider implementing content security policies and monitoring for unusual activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all WordPress installations maintain current versions of core software and plugins to minimize exposure to known vulnerabilities.