CVE-2022-45819 in Popup Maker Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Popup Maker Popup Maker allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Popup Maker: from n/a through 1.17.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2025
The CVE-2022-45819 vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw within the Popup Maker WordPress plugin that exposes systems to unauthorized access and privilege escalation attacks. This security weakness stems from improper access control configuration within the plugin's administrative interfaces, allowing malicious actors to bypass intended security boundaries and execute actions they should not be permitted to perform. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of Popup Maker ranging from the initial release through version 1.17.1, indicating a prolonged window of exposure for affected systems. The issue manifests as a failure in the plugin's permission validation mechanisms, where legitimate administrative functions become accessible to unauthorized users who lack proper credentials or authorization levels.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems. This misconfiguration allows attackers to exploit the plugin's administrative endpoints without proper authentication, potentially enabling them to modify popup configurations, access sensitive user data, or even execute arbitrary code within the WordPress environment. The flaw operates at the application layer, targeting the core authorization logic that should prevent unauthorized access to administrative functions. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting specific requests to administrative endpoints that should require elevated privileges, thus gaining access to functionality that includes popup creation, modification, and deletion capabilities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for WordPress installations using the affected plugin. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can manipulate popup content, potentially injecting malicious scripts or redirecting users to phishing sites. The vulnerability also allows for privilege escalation, where low-privilege users might gain administrator-level access to the plugin's administrative interfaces. This exposure can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and the potential for lateral movement within network environments where WordPress installations reside. The impact extends beyond immediate plugin functionality to potentially affect the entire WordPress installation and underlying server infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which involves legitimate credentials obtained through unauthorized access. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access to administrative functions, potentially maintaining control over the affected systems for extended periods. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises, particularly when assessing the attack surface of WordPress environments. The remediation process involves updating to patched versions of Popup Maker, implementing proper access controls, and conducting thorough security audits of plugin configurations. Organizations should also review their existing access control policies and ensure that proper authentication mechanisms are in place to prevent unauthorized access to administrative interfaces.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious access patterns. Regular security assessments of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper access control implementation within web applications, particularly in content management systems where multiple user roles and permissions must be carefully managed. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to administrative functions and maintain detailed audit logs for security incident response activities.