Theme and plugin translation for Polylang <= 3.2.16 - Missing Authorization
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 3.2.17
- Affected Plugin
- Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP)
- Affected Version
<= 3.2.16- CVSS
- 6.5Medium
- Weakness type
- CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
- CVE
CVE-2022-4169
At a glance
CVE-2022-4169 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP) WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.2.16. 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 3.2.17; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2022, reported by Florent BESNARD.
Vulnerability Overview
The Theme and plugin translation for Polylang is vulnerable to authorization bypass in versions up to, and including, 3.2.16 due to missing capability checks in the process_polylang_theme_translation_wp_loaded() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update plugin and theme translation settings and to import translation strings.
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
Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP) <= 3.2.16 carries this weakness at process_polylang_theme_translation_wp_loaded(), and reaching it 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 Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP) the fix is 3.2.17: builds <= 3.2.16 are affected, anything from 3.2.17 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 3.2.17, 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: Theme and plugin translation for Polylang (TTfP) 3.2.17 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Login Security
- Alerts
External References
Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C