CVE-2022-3477
Published: 14 November 2022
Summary
CVE-2022-3477 is a critical-severity Improper Authentication (CWE-287) vulnerability in Newsmag Project Newsmag. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 1.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis
The vulnerability CVE-2022-3477 is an authentication bypass (CWE-287) in the tagDiv Composer WordPress plugin before version 3.5. This plugin is a required component of the Newspaper theme before 12.1 and the Newsmag theme before 5.2.2. The root cause is an improperly implemented Facebook login feature that fails to validate authentication tokens or ownership of the supplied email address.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit the flaw remotely with no user interaction or privileges. By supplying only a target user's email address they can complete a login as that account, resulting in full site compromise as reflected in the CVSS 9.8 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Public references on WPScan document the affected versions and indicate that updating the tagDiv Composer plugin to 3.5 or later, along with Newspaper to 12.1 or later and Newsmag to 5.2.2 or later, resolves the issue. The EPSS score stands at 0.6346 with no material rise after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2022-42849
Vulnerability details
The tagDiv Composer WordPress plugin before 3.5, required by the Newspaper WordPress theme before 12.1 and Newsmag WordPress theme before 5.2.2, does not properly implement the Facebook login feature, allowing unauthenticated attackers to login as any user by just knowing…
more
their email address
- 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.
Detects unauthorized successful logons resulting from improper authentication implementations.
Documented procedures ensure personnel are trained on authentication mechanisms, tangibly lowering the risk of improper authentication being exploited.
Security awareness training instructs users on secure authentication practices and avoiding credential compromise.
Training on authentication mechanisms and best practices decreases the occurrence of improper authentication.
Non-repudiation requires strong authentication mechanisms to irrefutably attribute performed actions to specific individuals or processes.
Session content review can reveal authentication bypasses or failures in session establishment.
Review of authentication-related audit records can detect improper authentication mechanisms or bypasses.
Assessments check authentication mechanisms for correct implementation and effectiveness, reducing successful authentication bypass attempts.