CVE-2022-42459 in Image Hover Effects Ultimate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/19/2022
Auth. WordPress Options Change vulnerability in Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin <= 9.7.1 on WordPress.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2022
The CVE-2022-42459 vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass issue affecting the Image Hover Effects Ultimate WordPress plugin version 9.7.1 and earlier. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to modify WordPress plugin options through a specially crafted POST request, potentially enabling them to alter core configuration parameters without proper authorization. The vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of administrative actions, specifically targeting the options modification functionality that should typically require elevated privileges to access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the plugin's administrative interface. When users submit requests to modify plugin options, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative credentials or permissions. This oversight creates a path for malicious actors to exploit the plugin's administrative functions, potentially leading to unauthorized changes in plugin behavior or configuration settings that could affect the entire WordPress installation. The flaw operates at the application layer and directly impacts the principle of least privilege by allowing arbitrary modifications to plugin options without proper authentication mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin version. Attackers could leverage this flaw to disable security features, modify plugin configurations that affect site functionality, or potentially establish persistent access points within the WordPress environment. The impact extends beyond the immediate plugin scope as compromised plugin options may influence other system components or provide attackers with additional attack vectors. The vulnerability's exploitability is relatively straightforward, requiring only basic knowledge of web application exploitation techniques and the ability to craft appropriate HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoint.
Security professionals should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to the patched version of the Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin or applying the vendor-recommended security patches. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to administrative endpoints and monitor for suspicious activity related to plugin option modifications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts usage or T1566 for credential harvesting if attackers can leverage the compromised plugin to gain broader system access. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other potentially vulnerable plugins or components that may exhibit similar authorization flaws.