CVE-2022-40487 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in ProcessWire version 3.0.200. ProcessWire is an open-source content management framework used for building websites and web applications. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input sanitization in the Search Users and Search Pages functions, which allow an attacker to inject crafted payloads containing arbitrary web scripts or HTML. When a victim interacts with these vulnerable search functionalities, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without requiring authentication, but it requires user interaction (e.g., the victim visiting a maliciously crafted URL or search result). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.1, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, scope changed, and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. No known public exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches or vendor advisories are linked in the provided information. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which covers improper neutralization of input during web page generation leading to XSS.

For European organizations using ProcessWire 3.0.200, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the confidentiality and integrity of user sessions and data. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of authenticated users, or deliver further malicious payloads such as malware or phishing content. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, defacement of websites, or reputational damage. Given that ProcessWire is often used by small to medium enterprises and public sector websites, the impact could extend to critical public-facing services or internal portals. The requirement for user interaction limits automated exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially if attackers can lure users into clicking crafted links or search queries. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited active targeting currently, but the presence of a public CVE and medium severity score means attackers may develop exploits over time. European organizations with public-facing ProcessWire installations should consider this vulnerability a moderate threat to their web application security posture.

To mitigate CVE-2022-40487, European organizations should first verify if they are running ProcessWire version 3.0.200 or other affected versions. Since no official patch is referenced, organizations should monitor the ProcessWire project for security updates or patches addressing this issue and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting the Search Users and Search Pages functions, particularly payloads containing script tags or suspicious HTML. Employ strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied input in search functionalities to neutralize potential XSS payloads. Additionally, enforce Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. Educate users about the risks of clicking untrusted links and consider disabling or restricting the vulnerable search features if feasible until a patch is applied. Regularly audit web application logs for unusual activity related to search inputs. Finally, ensure that all web applications follow secure coding practices to prevent similar injection vulnerabilities in the future.