CVE-2022-2444 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Visualizer: Tables and Charts Manager plugin for WordPress, developed by themeisle. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-502, which involves deserialization of untrusted data. Specifically, this flaw arises from the improper handling of the 'remote_data' parameter in plugin versions up to and including 3.7.9. An authenticated attacker with at least contributor-level privileges can exploit this vulnerability by uploading a malicious file containing a serialized payload. The plugin uses a PHAR (PHP Archive) wrapper to deserialize this data, which can lead to the instantiation of arbitrary PHP objects. If a suitable Property Oriented Programming (POP) gadget chain exists within the application or its dependencies, the attacker can leverage this to execute arbitrary code or perform other malicious actions such as privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or system compromise. The attack does not require user interaction beyond authentication and the ability to upload files, which is typically granted to contributors and above in WordPress. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No known public exploits have been reported in the wild as of the published date, but the potential impact remains significant given the widespread use of WordPress and this plugin. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on WordPress websites that utilize the Visualizer plugin for data visualization. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution on web servers, resulting in data breaches, defacement, or complete takeover of the affected web application. This can compromise sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and disrupt business operations. Given the GDPR regulations in Europe, any data breach resulting from this vulnerability could lead to substantial regulatory fines and reputational damage. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and government, which often use WordPress for public-facing sites and internal dashboards, are particularly at risk. The requirement for contributor-level access means that insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability, increasing the attack surface. Additionally, the ability to execute arbitrary PHP code could facilitate lateral movement within the network, further amplifying the impact.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately identify and inventory all WordPress instances using the Visualizer plugin, focusing on versions up to 3.7.9. 2) Restrict contributor and higher privileges to trusted users only, implementing strict access controls and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of account compromise. 3) Disable or restrict file upload capabilities for contributors where possible, or implement robust file validation and scanning mechanisms to detect malicious payloads. 4) Monitor web server logs and WordPress activity logs for unusual deserialization attempts or PHAR wrapper usage patterns. 5) Apply any available patches or updates from themeisle promptly once released; if no patch is available, consider temporarily disabling the plugin or replacing it with alternative solutions until a fix is issued. 6) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious serialized data or PHAR wrapper exploitation attempts. 7) Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on deserialization vulnerabilities and privilege misuse within WordPress environments. 8) Educate users with contributor privileges about the risks and signs of account compromise to enhance early detection.