CVE-2022-4209 in Chained Quiz Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/03/2022
The Chained Quiz plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'pointsf' parameter on the 'chainedquiz_list' page in versions up to, and including, 1.3.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2026
The Chained Quiz plugin for WordPress represents a significant security vulnerability classified as CVE-2022-4209, which manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting flaw affecting versions up to and including 1.3.2. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of user input on the chainedquiz_list page, specifically through the 'pointsf' parameter. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization measures and insufficient output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly validate or encode user-supplied data before its inclusion in web page responses. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes it as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue where malicious scripts are reflected off a web server to a victim's browser. This weakness enables attackers to inject malicious code that executes in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially compromising user security and data integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it creates a persistent threat vector for unauthenticated attackers seeking to exploit user trust and browser sessions. When a user visits a maliciously crafted URL containing the XSS payload within the 'pointsf' parameter, the script executes in their browser without their knowledge or consent. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes social engineering attacks through spearphishing with links. The vulnerability's accessibility to unauthenticated attackers means that no privileged access or authentication is required to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for WordPress sites that rely on the Chained Quiz plugin for educational or assessment purposes. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload is not stored on the server but rather injected into the page response dynamically, making detection more challenging and requiring immediate patching to prevent exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires attackers to craft malicious URLs that include script payloads in the 'pointsf' parameter, which are then reflected back to users who click on these links. The plugin's failure to implement proper input validation and output encoding creates an environment where user-supplied data can be directly embedded into HTML responses without adequate sanitization. This vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the plugin's security architecture and demonstrates poor secure coding practices that violate fundamental web application security principles. The impact on affected WordPress installations could range from session hijacking and credential theft to more sophisticated attacks such as redirecting users to malicious sites or defacing the quiz pages. Organizations using this plugin must immediately implement mitigation strategies including patching to the latest version, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting security audits of all plugin installations to identify similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in preventing cross-site scripting attacks, with the ATT&CK framework highlighting the need for organizations to address such weaknesses in their web applications to prevent successful exploitation by threat actors.