CVE-2022-40697 in Asesor de Cookies para normativa española plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/19/2023
Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in 3com – Asesor de Cookies para normativa española plugin
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2023
The CVE-2022-40697 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the 3com – Asesor de Cookies para normativa española WordPress plugin, which is designed to help websites comply with Spanish cookie regulation requirements. This vulnerability specifically affects administrative users with privileges equal to or greater than administrator level, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated sessions. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of user input within cookie consent configuration settings, where unfiltered data is stored in the database and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization in subsequent page requests.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker with administrative access modifies cookie consent settings through the plugin's administrative interface. The malicious script code entered into configuration fields gets stored persistently in the WordPress database, where it remains dormant until accessed by other users or administrators. When affected pages are loaded, the stored script executes in the browser context of any user who views the cookie consent configuration, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of victims. This represents a classic stored XSS vector that leverages the elevated privileges of administrative users to establish persistent malicious presence within the target environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with a foothold for further compromise within the WordPress environment. Attackers can leverage the stored XSS to escalate privileges, modify plugin configurations, access sensitive data, or even inject additional malicious code into the website. The vulnerability's persistence means that the malicious payload continues to execute until manually removed from the database, creating a long-term threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to maintain access even after initial exploitation attempts are detected and mitigated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-40697 should include immediate plugin updates from the vendor to address the stored XSS vulnerability, along with comprehensive input validation and output sanitization measures. Organizations should implement web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script payloads in cookie consent configuration parameters, while also conducting thorough code reviews of all plugin modifications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script execution, as well as T1546.001 for persistence mechanisms. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins should include verification of input sanitization practices and database storage procedures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced through third-party components.