CVE-2022-2387 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the Easy Digital Downloads WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions before 3.0. This plugin is widely used for simple eCommerce solutions to sell digital files. The vulnerability arises because the plugin lacks proper CSRF protections when processing requests to delete payment history entries. Additionally, it does not verify that the post targeted for deletion is indeed a payment history record. Consequently, an attacker can craft a malicious request that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, causes the deletion of arbitrary posts on the WordPress site. This attack requires the victim to be logged in with administrative privileges and to interact with the malicious content (e.g., visiting a crafted webpage). The vulnerability impacts the integrity of the WordPress site’s data by allowing unauthorized deletion of content, but it does not affect confidentiality or availability directly. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting the need for user interaction and the limited scope of impact (integrity only). No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date. The absence of a patch link suggests that users should upgrade to version 3.0 or later, where this issue is presumably fixed. Given the plugin’s role in managing eCommerce transactions, unauthorized deletion of payment history could disrupt business operations and cause administrative overhead to restore lost data.

For European organizations using Easy Digital Downloads to manage digital sales, this vulnerability poses a risk to data integrity and operational continuity. An attacker exploiting this flaw could delete critical payment records, potentially leading to financial reconciliation issues, loss of transaction history, and customer trust degradation. While the vulnerability does not directly expose sensitive data or cause denial of service, the unauthorized deletion of posts could indirectly affect business processes and compliance with financial record-keeping regulations such as GDPR, which mandates accurate data management. Organizations with high transaction volumes or those relying heavily on WordPress-based eCommerce platforms may face increased risk and operational disruption. Furthermore, the requirement for administrator login and user interaction reduces the likelihood of mass exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks, especially in environments where phishing or social engineering is feasible.

European organizations should immediately verify their Easy Digital Downloads plugin version and upgrade to version 3.0 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. If upgrading is not immediately possible, administrators should implement strict access controls to limit administrative logins and monitor for suspicious activity. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block CSRF attack patterns targeting the plugin’s endpoints can provide temporary protection. Additionally, administrators should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of compromised credentials being abused. Regular backups of WordPress content and payment data should be maintained to enable recovery from unauthorized deletions. Organizations should also educate administrators about phishing and social engineering risks to prevent inadvertent execution of malicious requests. Finally, monitoring logs for unusual post deletion activities can help detect exploitation attempts early.