CVE-2022-44626

SEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO <= 12.1.20 - Missing Authorization

2023-03-17 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 12.1.21
Affected Plugin: GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO
Affected Version: <= 12.1.20
CVSS: 6.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2022-44626

View all GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2022-44626 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 12.1.20. It carries a CVSS score of 6.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 12.1.21; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed March 2023, reported by Rafie Muhammad.

Vulnerability Overview

The SEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access/modification or loss of data due to a missing capability check on AJAX action handlers in versions up to, and including, 12.1.20. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with subscriber-level access, and above, to invoke those functions.

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.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO <= 12.1.20 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 GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO the fix is 12.1.21: builds <= 12.1.20 are affected, anything from 12.1.21 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 12.1.21, 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: GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO 12.1.21 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-44626 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9251afbb-1a6d-40c6-b62e-a8866742f669 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-44626

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in GEO Plugin by Squirrly SEO

CVSS Vector

6.3

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityLow

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