CVE-2022-4971 in Social Sharing Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2024
The Sassy Social Share plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'urls' parameter called via the 'heateor_sss_sharing_count' AJAX action in versions up to, and including, 3.3.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2025
The CVE-2022-4971 vulnerability affects the Sassy Social Share plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 3.3.3. This represents a critical security flaw that exposes WordPress sites to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. The vulnerability manifests through the 'heateor_sss_sharing_count' AJAX action which processes the 'urls' parameter without adequate input validation or output sanitization. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into web pages that will execute when users interact with the compromised site. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it does not require authentication, making it accessible to any attacker who can craft malicious payloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization practices within the plugin's AJAX handler. When the 'urls' parameter is processed through the 'heateor_sss_sharing_count' action, the plugin fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into the HTTP response. This creates a classic reflected XSS vector where attacker-controlled content is reflected back to users in the browser context. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary weakness. This weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the context of the victim's browser session, potentially compromising user data and browser integrity.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-4971 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with opportunities to perform various malicious activities through the compromised WordPress site. Unauthenticated attackers can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by users, execute scripts designed to steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform other harmful actions. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which describes social engineering through spearphishing with links. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by embedding malicious payloads in shared links, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with social media sharing buttons or links. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts are not stored on the server but are instead injected into the response at runtime, making detection more challenging for security monitoring systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-4971 require immediate action from WordPress administrators to address the vulnerability. The most effective solution involves upgrading the Sassy Social Share plugin to version 3.3.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to prevent the reflected XSS attack vector. Organizations should also implement input validation and output escaping mechanisms at the application level to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components. Security measures should include monitoring for unusual AJAX requests and implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests targeting known XSS patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output escaping practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 2021 category A03: Injection, which emphasizes the need for comprehensive protection against various injection attacks including cross-site scripting.