CVE-2022-3708

Web Stories <= 1.24.0 - Server Side Request Forgery

2022-10-26 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.25.0
Affected Plugin: Web Stories
Affected Version: <= 1.24.0
CVSS: 9.6Critical
Weakness type: CWE-918 · Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
CVE: CVE-2022-3708

At a glance

CVE-2022-3708 is a critical-severity Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in the Web Stories WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.24.0. It carries a CVSS score of 9.6 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.25.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2022, reported by Aymen Borgi.

Vulnerability Overview

The Web Stories plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery in versions up to, and including 1.24.0 due to insufficient validation of URLs supplied via the 'url' parameter found via the /v1/hotlink/proxy REST API Endpoint. This makes it possible for authenticated users to make web requests to arbitrary locations originating from the web application and can be used to query and modify information from internal services.

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 confidentiality, integrity.

CWE-918: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

Web Stories <= 1.24.0 carries this weakness at url, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Server-side request forgery means the application fetches a URL supplied by the caller, turning the server into a proxy for requests the attacker could not make directly.

The request originates from inside the hosting network, which is how these flaws reach cloud metadata endpoints, internal admin panels and services that trust local traffic. For Web Stories the fix is 1.25.0: builds <= 1.24.0 are affected, anything from 1.25.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.25.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Web Stories: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Web Stories 1.25.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-3708 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7817a840-325a-4709-8374-84bb32d98d0e https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-3708

Related records

CVSS Vector

9.6

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone

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