Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress cookie-consent plugin allowed an administrator-level user to save script into a plugin setting. That script could run when the Cookie Notice admin page is viewed. This is not an anonymous internet compromise; the attacker needs high privileges and the issue only applies in narrower WordPress configurations.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority hygiene fix. It has constrained exploitability because admin access is required, but stored XSS in administrative WordPress pages can create follow-on risk in shared-admin or multisite environments.
Technical view
CVE-2022-3399 is stored XSS in Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR / CCPA through cookie_notice_options[refuse_code_head]. Versions up to 2.4.17.1 lacked sufficient sanitization and output escaping. Execution occurs on /wp-admin/admin.php?page=cookie-notice. CVSS is 4.4 with high privileges and high attack complexity.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites using the affected plugin at version 2.4.17.1 or earlier, specifically multisite installations or sites where unfiltered_html is disabled. Practical risk is highest where many administrators or delegated site admins can edit plugin settings.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not cite active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires authenticated administrator-level access, so this is mainly a post-compromise, insider, or delegated-admin abuse risk rather than a broad unauthenticated attack path.
Researcher notes
The bundle identifies the vulnerable parameter, affected range, privilege requirement, and configuration limits. It references a WordPress Trac changeset, but does not explicitly state a fixed release number. Validate remediation against vendor or WordPress plugin release history before closure.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade the plugin beyond the affected version range using official vendor guidance.
- Review WordPress administrator accounts and remove unnecessary elevated access.
- Confirm multisite and unfiltered_html exposure assumptions for affected sites.
- Monitor vendor and WordPress plugin advisories for fixed-version confirmation.
- Prioritize remediation on sites with delegated or many administrator users.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress sites using Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR / CCPA.
- Check whether installed plugin versions are 2.4.17.1 or earlier.
- Identify whether each site is multisite or has unfiltered_html disabled.
- Review plugin settings access logs where available for suspicious admin changes.
- Verify the referenced patch or later vendor release is deployed.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-3399 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N1.32.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/73fd35b4-16b3-4f57-a3e4-46e4de0ee822?source=cveCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3134120/cookie-notice/trunk/includes/settings.phpCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&new=3134120%40cookie-notice%2Ftrunk&old=3101664%40cookie-notice%2Ftrunk&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.