CVE-2022-40218: Missing Authorization Vulnerability in ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin (Versions <= 1.1.4)

The alluring world of WordPress plugins comes with a need for vigilance. Security vulnerabilities can disrupt even the most beautiful of templates. One such case, CVE-2022-40218, involves a missing authorization vulnerability in the ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin, affecting versions up to 1.1.4. This post provides a deep dive into this vulnerability, describing the potential implications and risks, a code snippet, as well as links to original references and exploit details.

Exploit Details

The CVE-2022-40218 vulnerability stems from a failure within the ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin to implement proper authorization checks when performing specific actions. This can potentially allow an attacker with limited privileges to escalate their access level and perform administrative actions on the affected site, including making changes to plugin settings or even disabling the plugin altogether.

The affected plugin versions (N/A through 1.1.4) suffer from this missing authorization vulnerability, permitting attackers to exploit this issue without needing sophisticated tools or techniques.

The vulnerable code snippet within the plugin can be found below

function th_advance_search_generate_data() {
    ...
    // No authorization check!
    ...
    update_option( 'th_advance_search_options', $new_options );
    ...
}
add_action( 'wp_ajax_th_advance_search_generate_data', 'th_advance_search_generate_data' );

As shown, the function th_advance_search_generate_data() updates the plugin settings with update_option() but does not include any authorization checks. This lack of proper authorization opens the door to attackers with limited permissions to exploit this vulnerability.

For more information and details regarding this security vulnerability, follow these links

1. CVE-2022-40218 – MITRE CVE details page for this vulnerability.
2. Official ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin page – Plugin's official page, containing plugin features, description, and downloads.
3. ThemeHunk Support – If you have further questions or concerns about this vulnerability, you can reach out to the ThemeHunk support team.

To safeguard your WordPress site from this vulnerability, take the following steps

1. Update the plugin: If you are currently using the ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin, ensure that you update it to the latest version (1.1.5 or higher) as soon as possible. The developers have released the patch specifically addressing the CVE-2022-40218 vulnerability.

2. Monitor user roles and permissions: Regularly review the roles and permissions assigned to the users on your WordPress site. Limit the privileges to only what users require for their designated tasks, and maintain a principle of least privilege.

3. Stay informed: Keep an eye on announcements and updates from the plugin developers' team at ThemeHunk, especially regarding security patches and vulnerability disclosures.

Conclusion

The ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin, a popular choice for website owners looking to enhance their search capabilities, has been found to contain a missing authorization vulnerability in versions up to 1.1.4 (CVE-2022-40218). By exploiting this issue, attackers with limited permissions can potentially escalate their access levels and perform administrative actions on affected sites.

Thus, it is crucial to mitigate this vulnerability by updating the plugin to the latest version and maintaining proper user roles and permissions. Stay vigilant and informed to protect your website from potential security breaches.

Timeline

Published on: 05/08/2024 12:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 06/04/2024 17:15:37 UTC