CVE-2022-1961 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in the Google Tag Manager for WordPress (GTM4WP) plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts, impacting versions up to and including 1.15.1.

Understanding CVE-2022-1961

This CVE describes a security flaw in the GTM4WP plugin that could be exploited by attackers to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

What is CVE-2022-1961?

The vulnerability originates from insufficient escaping in the

gtm4wp-options[scroller-contentid]

parameter in the

~/public/frontend.php

file, enabling administrative users to inject arbitrary scripts.

The Impact of CVE-2022-1961

This vulnerability affects multi-site installations with disabled unfiltered_html for administrators, putting sites at risk of script injection.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-1961

Below are the technical details regarding this CVE:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers with administrative access to insert malicious scripts via the

gtm4wp-options[scroller-contentid]

parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions up to and including 1.15.1 of the GTM4WP plugin are vulnerable to this Stored Cross-Site Scripting flaw.

Exploitation Mechanism

Hackers with administrative privileges exploit the flaw in the

scroller-contentid

parameter to insert harmful scripts into the WordPress plugin.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard your systems from CVE-2022-1961, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the GTM4WP plugin to version 1.15.2 or higher to patch the vulnerability.
Review and monitor user permissions, especially administrative access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and update plugins to avoid security vulnerabilities.
Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches to protect your WordPress installations.