CVE-2022-4551 in Rich Table of Contents Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/13/2023
The Rich Table of Contents WordPress plugin through 1.3.7 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 • 03/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4551 affects the Rich Table of Contents WordPress plugin version 1.3.7 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through stored cross-site scripting flaws. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's shortcode attribute handling system, creating a pathway for attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages that are subsequently executed by other users.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and escape shortcode attributes before rendering them in HTML output contexts. When contributors or users with lower privileges create content containing specifically crafted shortcode parameters, these attributes are stored in the database without proper validation. Subsequently, when the plugin processes these stored attributes for display, the unescaped content is directly embedded into web pages, enabling malicious scripts to execute in the context of other users' browsers. This represents a classic stored XSS vulnerability where the attack payload persists in the server's database rather than being reflected in a single request.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it specifically targets high-privilege users including administrators. Attackers with contributor-level access can craft malicious content that, when viewed by administrators or other privileged users, executes arbitrary JavaScript code within their browser sessions. This could potentially lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or the deployment of additional malicious payloads. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require elevated privileges initially, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers who have gained minimal access to a WordPress site.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content. The weakness specifically falls under the category of insufficient input validation, where the plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamic web content. Organizations using this plugin are particularly vulnerable as the attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed through legitimate content creation workflows within WordPress.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, implementation of additional input validation layers, and enforcement of proper output escaping for all user-provided content. Security administrators should also consider implementing content security policies and monitoring for suspicious shortcode usage patterns. Regular security audits of installed plugins and themes, along with maintaining updated WordPress core installations, are essential practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the broader WordPress ecosystem.