CVE-2022-3097 is a security vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin LBstopattack, specifically in versions prior to 1.1.3. The vulnerability is classified as a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) issue (CWE-352). The root cause is the plugin's failure to implement nonce verification when saving its settings. Nonces are security tokens used to ensure that requests to change settings originate from legitimate users and not from malicious third-party sites. Without nonce protection, an attacker can craft a malicious web page or email that, when visited or interacted with by an authenticated WordPress administrator, triggers unauthorized changes to the plugin's settings. In this case, the attacker could disable the plugin's protective features, effectively neutralizing its security benefits. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack can be executed remotely over the network (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R), and impacts integrity (I:H) without affecting confidentiality or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches or updates are linked in the provided data, but the vulnerability was published on October 25, 2022. The plugin's vendor is unknown, which may complicate timely patching or support. This vulnerability is significant because it undermines the security posture of WordPress sites using LBstopattack by allowing attackers to disable its protections without needing direct access or credentials, relying instead on social engineering or tricking administrators into visiting malicious content.

For European organizations using WordPress with the LBstopattack plugin, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk. If exploited, attackers can disable the plugin's security features, potentially exposing the website to further attacks such as brute force login attempts, denial of service, or other web-based threats the plugin was designed to mitigate. This can lead to integrity breaches where unauthorized changes are made to site configurations or content, potentially damaging the organization's reputation and trustworthiness. Since the attack requires an authenticated administrator to interact with a malicious link or page, the risk is heightened in environments where administrators may be targeted via phishing or social engineering campaigns. The impact is particularly relevant for organizations with public-facing WordPress sites that rely on LBstopattack for security. Disabling the plugin could facilitate subsequent attacks that compromise data integrity or lead to service disruptions. However, confidentiality and availability impacts are not directly indicated by this vulnerability alone. The medium severity score suggests that while the vulnerability is serious, it is not critical, but it should still be addressed promptly to maintain a strong security posture.

European organizations should take the following specific actions to mitigate this vulnerability: 1) Immediately verify if the LBstopattack plugin is installed and identify its version. 2) If the plugin is present and is a version prior to 1.1.3, seek to update it to the latest available version that includes nonce protection. If no official update is available due to the unknown vendor, consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin to eliminate the risk. 3) Educate WordPress administrators about the risks of CSRF and the importance of not clicking on suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites while logged into administrative accounts. 4) Implement additional security controls such as Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) that can detect and block CSRF attack patterns or unusual POST requests targeting plugin settings. 5) Monitor administrative activity logs for unusual changes to plugin settings that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6) Consider employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for WordPress admin accounts to reduce the risk of account compromise that could facilitate exploitation. 7) Regularly audit all installed plugins for security updates and vendor credibility to avoid reliance on unsupported or vulnerable components.