CVE-2022-44738

Posts and Users Stats <= 1.1.3 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) CSV Injection

2023-02-02 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.1.4
Affected Plugin: Posts and Users Stats
Affected Version: <= 1.1.3
CVSS: 5.5Medium
Weakness type: CWE-1236 · Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
CVE: CVE-2022-44738

View all Posts and Users Stats vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2022-44738 is a medium-severity Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File vulnerability in the Posts and Users Stats WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.1.3. It carries a CVSS score of 5.5 (reachable over the network). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 1.1.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2023, reported by Kévin Mosbahi (Mika).

Vulnerability Overview

The Posts and Users Stats plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to CSV Injection in versions up to, and including, 1.1.3. This allows attackers to embed untrusted input into exported CSV files, which can result in code execution when these files are downloaded and opened on a local system with a vulnerable configuration.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network.

CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File

The product saves user-provided information into a Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product.

Remediation

Update to version 1.1.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Subscriber access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Posts and Users Stats 1.1.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-44738 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/766c2aa5-e829-45b9-b6e3-0a522a0977d4 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-44738

CVSS Vector

5.5

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionRequired
ScopeChanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityLow

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