CVE-2022-41781

Permalink Manager Lite <= 2.2.20 - Missing Authorization

2022-11-01 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.2.20.1
Affected Plugin: Permalink Manager Lite
Affected Version: <= 2.2.20
CVSS: 6.5Medium
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2022-41781

View all Permalink Manager Lite vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2022-41781 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Permalink Manager Lite WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.2.20. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 2.2.20.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2022, reported by Nguyen Anh Tien.

Vulnerability Overview

The Permalink Manager Lite plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the extra_actions function in versions up to, and including, 2.2.20. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to remove URIs, plugin data, and flush sitemaps.

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 privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Permalink Manager Lite <= 2.2.20 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.

Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For Permalink Manager Lite the fix is 2.2.20.1: builds <= 2.2.20 are affected, anything from 2.2.20.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.2.20.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: Permalink Manager Lite 2.2.20.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-41781 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d8451f0f-0dfd-4926-aa35-75edf70ed6f2 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41781

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in Permalink Manager Lite

CVSS Vector

6.5

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityLow

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