CVE-2022-30998 in Homepage Product Organizer for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2022
Multiple Authenticated (subscriber or higher user role) SQL Injection (SQLi) vulnerabilities in WooPlugins.co's Homepage Product Organizer for WooCommerce plugin <= 1.1 at WordPress.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2022-30998 represents a critical security flaw in the Homepage Product Organizer plugin for WooCommerce, specifically affecting versions up to and including 1.1. This plugin, developed by WooPlugins.co, is widely used to manage and display products on WordPress websites that utilize WooCommerce for e-commerce functionality. The vulnerability manifests as multiple authenticated SQL injection flaws that can be exploited by users with subscriber level access or higher, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by malicious actors who have gained access to legitimate user accounts or by attackers who can escalate privileges within the WordPress environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper parameter handling within the plugin's codebase. When authenticated users interact with specific administrative functions or product management features, the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands that can manipulate the underlying database structure, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89 as SQL injection, which represents a well-known and persistent threat in web application security where improper input handling enables attackers to execute arbitrary SQL code within the database context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it can enable attackers to escalate their privileges and gain deeper access to the WordPress installation. Successful exploitation could allow malicious users to access sensitive customer information, modify product catalogs, manipulate pricing structures, or even inject malicious code into the website. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not need to be administrators to exploit it, as subscriber-level accounts can potentially leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to database contents. This creates a significant risk for e-commerce websites where customer data protection is paramount, as the vulnerability could lead to data breaches that violate regulatory requirements such as gdpr and pci dss standards.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-30998 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the identified SQL injection vulnerabilities, as the vendor has likely released patches to resolve these issues. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitor user activities within their WordPress environments to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and database access controls can provide additional layers of protection, while regular security audits and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or themes. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocols and T1190 for exploitation of remote services, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures that address both network and application security controls. Regular monitoring of plugin repositories and security advisories from wordpress.org can help administrators stay informed about similar vulnerabilities that may affect their installed plugins and maintain overall system security posture.