CVE-2022-4480 : What You Need to Know

A Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in the Click to Chat WordPress plugin before version 3.18.1 allows contributors to execute malicious attacks, potentially targeting higher privilege users such as admins.

Understanding CVE-2022-4480

This CVE details a security issue in the Click to Chat WordPress plugin, impacting versions prior to 3.18.1.

What is CVE-2022-4480?

The Click to Chat WordPress plugin before version 3.18.1 fails to properly validate and escape certain shortcode attributes, creating a vulnerability that could be exploited by contributors to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2022-4480

This vulnerability poses a risk as it enables lower privilege users to execute malicious scripts, potentially compromising the security and integrity of the website and its higher privilege users.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-4480

This section outlines the specifics of the CVE, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The Click to Chat WordPress plugin fails to validate and escape certain shortcode attributes, allowing contributors to inject malicious scripts into the page output.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Unknown
Product: Click to Chat
Affected Versions: Less than 3.18.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Contributors can utilize the inadequate validation of shortcode attributes to insert harmful scripts, carrying out Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2022-4480 and enhance overall security, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and patching recommendations are essential.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Click to Chat plugin to version 3.18.1 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Restrict the permissions of contributors to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit plugins for security vulnerabilities.
Educate users on safe practices to prevent XSS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Maintain a proactive approach by staying informed about security patches and promptly applying updates to prevent potential vulnerabilities.