CVE-2022-41136 in Shortcodes Ultimate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/08/2022
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability leading to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Vladimir Anokhin's Shortcodes Ultimate plugin <= 5.12.0 on WordPress.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2022
The CVE-2022-41136 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Vladimir Anokhin's Shortcodes Ultimate WordPress plugin affecting versions up to and including 5.12.0. This vulnerability combines elements of cross-site request forgery and stored cross-site scripting, creating a particularly dangerous attack vector that can compromise user sessions and execute malicious code within the context of affected websites. The flaw resides in the plugin's handling of user input and request validation mechanisms, specifically within the shortcode processing and administration interface components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate CSRF token validation within the plugin's administrative functions. When administrators or authenticated users interact with the plugin's interface, the system fails to properly verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, enabling them to manipulate plugin settings or inject malicious content. The stored XSS component emerges when the plugin processes user-supplied data without proper sanitization, allowing malicious scripts to be permanently stored within the plugin's data structures and subsequently executed whenever affected pages are rendered to users.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-41136 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it enables attackers to establish persistent footholds within compromised WordPress installations. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows for session hijacking, privilege escalation, and the potential to deploy additional malware or backdoors through the stored XSS payload. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Shortcodes Ultimate is a widely used plugin with numerous installations across various WordPress deployments, making the vulnerability attractive to automated exploitation tools. The combination of CSRF and XSS creates a multi-stage attack capability where initial unauthorized access can lead to complete system compromise.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigation strategies including plugin updates to versions 5.12.1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper CSRF token validation and input sanitization. Additionally, administrators should review and harden their WordPress security configurations by implementing Content Security Policies, regular security audits, and monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for privilege escalation through web shell deployment. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious request patterns associated with CSRF attacks and maintain comprehensive backup strategies to facilitate recovery from potential exploitation incidents.