CVE-2022-4547 in Conditional Payment Methods for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/16/2023
The Conditional Payment Methods for WooCommerce WordPress plugin through 1.0 does not properly sanitise and escape a parameter before using it in a SQL statement, leading to a SQL injection exploitable by [high privilege users such as admin|users with a role as low as admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4547 affects the Conditional Payment Methods for WooCommerce WordPress plugin version 1.0 and earlier, representing a critical SQL injection flaw that compromises database integrity. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, specifically when processing user-supplied parameters in SQL query construction. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of conditional payment method configurations where administrative users can define payment rules based on various conditions including customer roles, order totals, and shipping zones. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate SQL queries through carefully crafted input parameters, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive database information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker with administrative privileges or equivalent access levels within the WordPress environment. According to CWE standards, this represents a classic instance of CWE-89 SQL Injection, where the plugin fails to properly escape or sanitize user-controllable data before incorporating it into database queries. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it allows for full database compromise, enabling attackers to extract customer information, payment details, user credentials, and other sensitive data stored within the WordPress database. The plugin's architecture does not implement proper prepared statements or parameterized queries, instead relying on direct string concatenation of user input into SQL commands, which creates an ideal environment for malicious SQL injection attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to e-commerce platforms utilizing WooCommerce with the affected plugin, as it provides attackers with a direct pathway to access sensitive customer payment information and personal data. The attack vector typically involves an authenticated user with administrative privileges submitting malicious input through the plugin's configuration interface or API endpoints. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to data breaches, financial fraud, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage for affected organizations. The impact extends beyond immediate data compromise as attackers can potentially escalate privileges, establish persistent backdoors, or use stolen credentials to access other systems within the organization's infrastructure. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 Valid Accounts and T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, representing both credential misuse and application exploitation techniques that attackers commonly employ in targeted campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-4547 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.1 or later, which contain the necessary security patches addressing the SQL injection vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit administrative privileges and reduce the attack surface. Database query logging and monitoring should be enabled to detect anomalous SQL activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes are essential to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation measures can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary administrative functions and regularly review user permissions to minimize potential impact from compromised accounts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the necessity of thorough code review processes for all third-party software components in web applications.