Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-36365 affects the WHA Crossword WordPress plugin through version 1.1.10. A logged-in user with contributor-level access or higher could store malicious script content that later runs in another user's browser. Business impact is usually limited, but it can affect site integrity and session trust.
Executive priority
Handle as a normal-priority remediation for public WordPress sites, and accelerate if the site allows untrusted contributors. The issue is not marked as known exploited in the provided sources, but stored XSS can still damage user trust and site integrity.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-79 stored cross-site scripting in WHA Crossword <=1.1.10. The CVSS 3.1 score is 5.4 with network access, low complexity, low privileges, required user interaction, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites with the WHA Crossword plugin installed at version 1.1.10 or earlier. Risk increases where contributor accounts are numerous, externally issued, weakly governed, or potentially compromised.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation requires authenticated contributor-level access or higher and user interaction when stored content is viewed. The bundle does not provide payload details or confirmed exploitation telemetry.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports authenticated stored XSS in WHA Crossword <=1.1.10 with CVSS 5.4. The bundle does not include vulnerable field names, proof-of-concept details, a fixed version, or vendor mitigation language, so validation should focus on version exposure and trusted-content review.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for WHA Crossword plugin usage.
- Remove or disable the plugin if it is unnecessary.
- Check WordPress and vendor guidance for a fixed release before updating.
- Restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only.
- Review submitted crossword content for unexpected scripts or markup.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether WHA Crossword is installed and record its version.
- Identify all users with contributor-level access or higher.
- Review recent crossword-related content changes by low-privilege accounts.
- Check WordPress security logs for suspicious content edits.
- Re-test affected pages after update, disablement, or removal.
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-2022-36365 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
- 5.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/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:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.32.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/wha-crossword/wordpress-wha-crossword-plugin-1-1-10-multiple-authenticated-stored-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerabilitiesCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/wha-crossword/CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
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.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.