Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a stored XSS issue in the WordPress amCharts: Charts and Maps plugin. A logged-in user with contributor-level access or higher could save content that later runs script in another user’s browser. Business impact is mainly account trust, content integrity, and possible session or admin-console exposure, not direct server takeover.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority web risk. It does not indicate direct infrastructure compromise, but it can affect admin trust and user sessions on exposed WordPress sites. Prioritize remediation for public, multi-author, or business-critical sites running the affected plugin.
Technical view
CVE-2022-36405 affects amCharts: Charts and Maps for WordPress versions 1.4 and earlier. The CVSS 3.1 score is 5.4: network reachable, low complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, no availability impact. CWE-79 applies.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress environments using the amCharts: Charts and Maps plugin at version 1.4 or earlier. The attacker needs an authenticated account with contributor-level privileges or higher, so multi-author sites and sites with weak account governance have higher practical risk.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The issue is still relevant where the affected plugin remains installed, especially because stored XSS can persist until the unsafe content or vulnerable component is removed.
Researcher notes
Evidence identifies an authenticated stored XSS in plugin versions 1.4 and earlier. The source bundle does not name a fixed version, exploit activity, or concrete vendor mitigation. Avoid assuming patch availability without checking the live vendor or WordPress plugin guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the amCharts: Charts and Maps plugin.
- Check vendor, WordPress plugin, and Patchstack guidance for supported fixed versions.
- Update, replace, or disable affected plugin deployments where no safe version is confirmed.
- Restrict contributor-level and higher access to trusted users only.
- Review existing chart or map content for unauthorized embedded script behavior.
Validation and detection
- Confirm plugin version on every WordPress instance.
- Identify all accounts with contributor-level or higher privileges.
- Review recent content changes involving amCharts charts or maps.
- Check whether the site still serves plugin-generated content from affected versions.
- Monitor vendor and vulnerability database updates for remediation status.
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-2022-36405 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/amcharts-charts-and-maps/wordpress-amcharts-charts-and-maps-plugin-1-4-authenticated-stored-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerabilityCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/amcharts-charts-and-maps/#developersCVE 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.