CVE-2022-3237 in WP Contact Slider Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2022
The WP Contact Slider WordPress plugin before 2.4.8 does not sanitize and escape its settings, allowing high privilege users such as admin to perform cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The WP Contact Slider WordPress plugin vulnerability CVE-2022-3237 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of WordPress installations. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 2.4.8 and specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. The flaw exists in the plugin's administrative interface where user inputs are not adequately processed before being stored or displayed, creating an avenue for malicious code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper input validation and output escaping routines. When administrators configure the contact slider settings, the plugin stores these values without sanitizing them against potential malicious payloads. This omission creates a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited even when WordPress's unfiltered_html capability is restricted, which is a standard security measure designed to prevent unauthorized users from injecting dangerous scripts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets high-privilege users, specifically administrators, who have the ability to make system-wide changes and access sensitive data.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-3237 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, steal session cookies, or redirect users to malicious sites. Since the vulnerability affects the administrative interface, successful exploitation could enable attackers to modify plugin settings, inject malicious code into contact forms, or even gain unauthorized access to the WordPress backend. The attack surface is particularly broad as the XSS can be triggered through various configuration parameters within the plugin's settings, making it difficult for administrators to identify all potential entry points.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege and input validation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a technique for privilege escalation and initial access through the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also reflects poor secure coding practices related to data sanitization and output encoding, which are fundamental requirements in secure software development. Organizations using affected versions of the WP Contact Slider plugin should immediately implement the available patch to version 2.4.8 or higher, while also conducting thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing additional security measures such as web application firewalls and regular security monitoring can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or themes.