CVE-2022-3946 in Welcart e-Commerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2022
The Welcart e-Commerce WordPress plugin before 2.8.4 does not have authorisation and CSRF in an AJAX action, allowing any logged-in user to create, update and delete shipping methods.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-3946 affects the Welcart e-Commerce WordPress plugin, specifically versions prior to 2.8.4, presenting a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of the plugin's administrative functions. This issue stems from the absence of proper authorization checks and Cross-Site Request Forgery protection within a specific AJAX action handler, creating a pathway for unauthorized manipulation of shipping method configurations.
The technical flaw manifests through the lack of authentication verification and CSRF token validation in the plugin's AJAX endpoint responsible for managing shipping methods. Any user who has gained access to a logged-in WordPress session can exploit this vulnerability to perform create, update, and delete operations on shipping configurations without proper authorization. This represents a significant weakness in the plugin's access control mechanisms, as it allows privilege escalation through the exploitation of a seemingly benign administrative function.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, potentially enabling attackers to disrupt e-commerce operations by altering shipping rules, creating fraudulent shipping methods, or removing legitimate shipping options. Such modifications could lead to financial losses, customer confusion, and potential service disruption for online retailers relying on the Welcart plugin for their commerce operations. The vulnerability particularly affects businesses that depend on precise shipping configurations for order fulfillment and customer satisfaction.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control. The flaw demonstrates poor implementation of security controls within the WordPress plugin ecosystem, where proper security measures should be enforced at every interaction point. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique, specifically under T1078 credential reuse and T1496 resource hijacking, as it allows unauthorized modification of system resources through legitimate administrative interfaces.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Welcart plugin version 2.8.4 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should review user permissions and implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes remain essential for identifying similar authorization flaws. The vulnerability underscores the importance of implementing comprehensive security testing for all plugin components, particularly those handling administrative functions and user data modifications.