CVE-2022-2638

Export All URLs <= 4.3 - Arbitrary File Deletion

2022-08-08 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 4.4
Affected Plugin: Export All URLs
Affected Version: <= 4.3
CVSS: 6.5Medium
Weakness type: CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE: CVE-2022-2638

View all Export All URLs vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2022-2638 is a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Export All URLs WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.3. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 4.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2022, reported by Raad Haddad.

Vulnerability Overview

The Export All URLs for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion in versions up to, and including, 4.3 due to missing file path and type validation in the ~/extract-all-urls-settings.php file on the 'f' parameter. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with administrative privileges to deleted arbitrary files hosted on the server.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on integrity, availability.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Reaching this weakness in Export All URLs <= 4.3 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For Export All URLs the fix is 4.4: builds <= 4.3 are affected, anything from 4.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Export All URLs: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Export All URLs 4.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-2638 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/2493a2f8-d4e4-4c42-b748-5632b96b085e https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-2638

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in Export All URLs

CVSS Vector

6.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredHigh
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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