CVE-2022-45349 in Betheme Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/25/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Muffingroup Betheme.This issue affects Betheme: from n/a through 26.6.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2025
The CVE-2022-45349 vulnerability represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the Muffingroup Betheme WordPress theme, specifically impacting versions ranging from an unspecified initial release through 26.6.1. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of insufficient authorization checks that can lead to unauthorized access to protected resources and functionality. The flaw exists within the theme's codebase where proper access controls are not adequately enforced, allowing malicious actors to bypass intended security measures and gain access to restricted administrative features or data. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in content management systems where theme components often interact with core WordPress functionality and user permissions.
The technical implementation of this authorization bypass likely occurs through improper validation of user roles or capabilities when processing requests to theme-specific endpoints or administrative interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform actions they should not be authorized to execute, potentially including modifying theme settings, accessing sensitive configuration data, or manipulating content in ways that violate the intended security model. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure as it can enable privilege escalation attacks where unauthenticated or low-privilege users can gain elevated access to administrative functions. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-285, which describes improper authorization scenarios in software systems, and represents a common pattern in web application security where access control mechanisms fail to properly verify user credentials or permissions.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates significant risk for WordPress sites utilizing the affected Betheme version, as it allows attackers to potentially compromise entire websites through unauthorized administrative access. The attack surface is particularly concerning because WordPress themes often contain complex functionality that interfaces with database operations, file system access, and user management features. Organizations using affected versions may experience unauthorized modifications to their website content, potential data breaches, or complete takeover of administrative controls. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions indicates a systemic issue in the theme's development lifecycle, suggesting inadequate security testing or code review processes that failed to identify the missing authorization checks.
Security mitigations for CVE-2022-45349 should prioritize immediate patching of affected installations to version 26.6.2 or later where the authorization flaw has been addressed. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of their WordPress installations to identify all affected themes and plugins that may contain similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include implementing proper access control verification at all entry points within theme code, particularly those handling administrative requests or user data modifications. Additionally, organizations should establish automated security scanning processes that can detect similar authorization flaws in custom themes or plugins. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and unauthorized access to administrative functions. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in the broader WordPress ecosystem, as the complexity of theme functionality often introduces numerous potential attack vectors that require careful authorization validation.