CVE-2022-3366 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A critical vulnerability has been identified in the PublishPress Capabilities WordPress plugin, allowing PHP object injection attacks on multisite WordPress configurations.

Understanding CVE-2022-3366

This CVE affects versions of the PublishPress Capabilities and PublishPress Capabilities Pro plugins prior to 2.5.2, posing a risk of PHP object injection.

What is CVE-2022-3366?

The vulnerability arises from the unserialization of content in imported files by the affected plugins, potentially enabling administrators to execute malicious PHP object injection attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2022-3366

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized code execution by administrators in multisite WordPress setups where other plugins with a suitable gadget chain are present.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-3366

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in PublishPress Capabilities plugins allows administrators to conduct PHP object injection through unserialized content, potentially resulting in unauthorized code execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Unknown
Affected Products:
PublishPress Capabilities – User Role Access, Editor Permissions, Admin Menus
PublishPress Capabilities Pro
Vulnerable Versions: Prior to 2.5.2

Exploitation Mechanism

For successful exploitation, other plugins on the multisite WordPress environment must contain a suitable gadget chain to facilitate PHP object injection.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update: Ensure all affected plugins are updated to version 2.5.2 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor for suspicious activities on WordPress multisite configurations.

Long-Term Security Practices

Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.
Plugin Management: Only install plugins from reputable sources and keep them updated.

Patching and Updates

Install the latest security patches and updates provided by the plugin developers to secure your WordPress installation.