CVE-2022-2435
📋 TL;DR
The AnyMind Widget WordPress plugin up to version 1.1 is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) due to missing nonce protection in the createDOMStructure() function. This allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts into WordPress sites by tricking administrators into clicking malicious links. All WordPress sites using vulnerable plugin versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- AnyMind Widget WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Site takeover through administrative account compromise leading to complete website defacement, data theft, or malware distribution to visitors.
Likely Case
Malicious script injection leading to credential theft, session hijacking, or SEO spam injection affecting site reputation.
If Mitigated
No impact if proper CSRF protections are implemented or plugin is updated/disabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
CSRF attacks are well-understood and easy to weaponize. The vulnerability requires social engineering to trick administrators.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 1.2 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/anymind-widget/trunk/anymind-widget-id.php
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find AnyMind Widget. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 1.2+ from WordPress repository and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate anymind-widget
Add CSRF Protection Manually
allAdd nonce verification to the createDOMStructure() function
Edit ~/wp-content/plugins/anymind-widget/anymind-widget-id.php and add wp_verify_nonce() check
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit script execution
- Use web application firewall (WAF) rules to block CSRF attempts targeting the plugin
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → AnyMind Widget → Version number. If version is 1.1 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get anymind-widget --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 1.2 or higher in WordPress admin panel and check that nonce verification exists in the createDOMStructure() function.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=createDOMStructure
- Multiple failed nonce verification attempts
Network Indicators:
- CSRF attack patterns with malicious payloads in POST parameters
- Requests lacking proper referrer headers
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (uri_path="/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" AND parameters.action="createDOMStructure")🔗 References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/anymind-widget/trunk/anymind-widget-id.php
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/174eae70-15d7-4772-8fcd-dc4c0fca5b7d?source=cve
- https://www.wordfence.com/vulnerability-advisories/#CVE-2022-2435
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/anymind-widget/trunk/anymind-widget-id.php
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/174eae70-15d7-4772-8fcd-dc4c0fca5b7d?source=cve
- https://www.wordfence.com/vulnerability-advisories/#CVE-2022-2435
