CVE-2022-4484 in Super Socializer Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/16/2023
The Social Share, Social Login and Social Comments Plugin WordPress plugin before 7.13.44 does not validate and escape some of its shortcode attributes before outputting them back in the page, which could allow users with a role as low as contributor to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks which could be used against high privilege users such as admins.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4484 affects the Social Share, Social Login and Social Comments WordPress plugin version 7.13.44 and earlier. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress plugin functionality and exposes websites to sophisticated cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of shortcode attributes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject persistent malicious code into website content. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows users with relatively low privileges, including contributors who typically have limited capabilities, to execute attacks that could compromise higher-privileged accounts such as administrators.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's shortcode processing functionality. When users with contributor-level access create or modify content containing plugin shortcodes, the system fails to properly sanitize the attributes before rendering them in the HTML output. This oversight creates a persistent cross-site scripting vector where malicious scripts can be stored in the website's database and executed whenever the affected content is displayed to other users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the plugin's shortcode attribute handling, which is a common pattern in WordPress plugin development where user-supplied data is expected to be processed through various output contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-4484 extends far beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. When high-privilege users such as administrators view pages containing the maliciously injected scripts, these scripts execute in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, modify website content, or even redirect users to malicious sites. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once the malicious code is injected, it persists across multiple user sessions and can affect numerous visitors to the website. This characteristic aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a critical weakness in web applications, and represents a significant risk to website integrity and user data security.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and website operators. The primary solution involves upgrading to plugin version 7.13.44 or later, which includes proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege management can help reduce the attack surface by limiting contributor-level access to plugin functionality. Security monitoring should include regular scanning for malicious code injection patterns, particularly in areas where shortcode attributes are processed. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies to add an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the CWE guidelines, which emphasize the need for proper input validation and output encoding in web applications. This case serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor functionality flaws in WordPress plugins can create significant security risks when user input is not properly sanitized and validated before being rendered in web pages.