CVE-2022-3935 in Welcart e-Commerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2022
The Welcart e-Commerce WordPress plugin before 2.8.4 does not sanitise and escape some parameters, which could allow any authenticated users, such as subscriber to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2025
The Welcart e-commerce WordPress plugin vulnerability CVE-2022-3935 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that affects versions prior to 2.8.4. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of user input parameters, specifically failing to properly sanitise and escape data before processing. The flaw allows authenticated users with minimal privileges, including subscribers, to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute when other users access affected pages. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an attack vector that bypasses standard WordPress security controls. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious payloads remain active until manually removed from the database, potentially affecting multiple users over extended periods.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's failure to apply proper sanitisation routines to user-supplied parameters during form submissions or data processing operations. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious script payloads within plugin-specific input fields, which are then stored in the database without adequate filtering. When other users, including administrators, view pages containing this stored data, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential harvesting through phishing. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges or gain deeper access to the WordPress installation through session manipulation.
The operational consequences of CVE-2022-3935 pose significant risks to e-commerce platforms relying on the Welcart plugin, particularly those with multiple user roles where subscriber accounts are not properly restricted. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to monitor user activities, steal sensitive information from authenticated sessions, or manipulate product data and customer information. The persistence of stored XSS payloads makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can remain undetected for extended periods, potentially allowing attackers to establish long-term access to the compromised system. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and reputational damage if customer data is compromised through such attacks. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to deploy additional malware or establish command and control channels through the compromised user sessions. Security teams must consider the potential for this vulnerability to be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks targeting the broader WordPress ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-3935 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patch to version 2.8.4 or later, which addresses the sanitisation and escaping deficiencies. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins or themes with similar vulnerabilities. Regular security monitoring should include checking for unauthorized modifications to user accounts and unusual activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Implementing content security policies and input validation controls at multiple layers can provide additional protection against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures for detecting stored XSS attempts and consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads. User access controls should be reviewed to ensure that subscriber accounts have appropriate restrictions and that unnecessary privileges are removed. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing robust security practices for all web applications. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.