CVE-2022-4954 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability has been discovered in the Waiting: One-click countdowns plugin for WordPress.

Understanding CVE-2022-4954

This CVE discloses a critical security flaw in the Waiting: One-click countdowns plugin for WordPress, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary web scripts.

What is CVE-2022-4954?

The Waiting: One-click countdowns plugin for WordPress is susceptible to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the Countdown name in versions up to, and including, 0.6.2 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping.

The Impact of CVE-2022-4954

Authenticated attackers with administrator-level permissions and above could inject malicious scripts that execute whenever a user accesses an infected page.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-4954

The vulnerability description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism are outlined below.

Vulnerability Description

Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability is due to inadequate input sanitization and output escaping in the Countdown name of versions up to 0.6.2.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: pluginbuilders
Product: Waiting: One-click countdowns
Versions: Up to 0.6.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with specific permissions can inject arbitrary web scripts into infected pages.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the necessary steps to address the CVE-2022-4954 vulnerability and enhance security.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Waiting: One-click countdowns plugin to version 0.6.3 or above.
Monitor user interactions and review any suspicious activities on the website.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and update plugins to the latest versions to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Educate administrators and users about best practices for preventing Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Patching and Updates

Plugin developers should address the vulnerability by improving input sanitization and output escaping in the Countdown feature.