CVE-2022-2434
Published: 06 September 2022
Summary
CVE-2022-2434 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Instawp String Locator. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 9.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The String Locator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to deserialization of untrusted input via the 'string-locator-path' parameter in versions up to and including 2.5.0. This flaw permits unauthenticated users to invoke files through a PHAR wrapper, which can trigger deserialization of arbitrary PHP objects when a POP chain is present.
An attacker must first upload a file containing the serialized payload and then trick a site administrator into an action such as clicking a malicious link. Successful exploitation can result in a range of malicious actions with a CVSS score of 8.8, corresponding to CWE-502.
Advisories from Wordfence and changesets in the plugin's Trac repository address the issue, indicating that the vulnerability was resolved after version 2.5.0. The EPSS score has remained flat at 0.0516 with no material increase since disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-34695
Vulnerability details
The String Locator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to deserialization of untrusted input via the 'string-locator-path' parameter in versions up to, and including 2.5.0. This makes it possible for unauthenticated users to call files using a PHAR wrapper, granted they…
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can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link, that will deserialize and call arbitrary PHP Objects that can be used to perform a variety of malicious actions granted a POP chain is also present. It also requires that the attacker is successful in uploading a file with the serialized payload.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.
Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.
Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.
Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.
Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.
Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.
Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.