Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This vulnerability lets an unauthenticated internet user reset settings for the ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search plugin. The likely business impact is disrupted or degraded site search, not data theft. It is moderate urgency for WordPress sites using this plugin, especially commerce sites where product search affects revenue and customer experience.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority WordPress hygiene issue. Prioritize public sites where product search is revenue-critical, but do not treat it like a breach-class vulnerability unless local evidence shows tampering or operational impact.
Technical view
CVE-2022-38057 is a missing authorization issue in ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search Plugin through 1.2.1. It maps to CWE-306 and CWE-862, with CVSS 3.1 score 6.5. The vector is network-accessible, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, with low integrity and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the ThemeHunk Advance WordPress Search plugin, package th-advance-product-search, in affected versions through 1.2.1. The source metadata is sparse and does not provide CPEs or a confirmed fixed version.
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as KEV, and the supplied sources do not state active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates remote unauthenticated exploitation is plausible, but the documented impact is settings reset rather than code execution or data disclosure.
Researcher notes
The public bundle names missing authorization and unauthenticated settings reset, but does not include detailed affected-version metadata, exploit evidence, endpoint details, or a fixed release. Avoid assuming broader plugin compromise without vendor confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the th-advance-product-search plugin.
- Check installed plugin versions against the affected range through 1.2.1.
- Review ThemeHunk and Patchstack guidance for a fixed version or vendor mitigation.
- Disable or remove the plugin where business risk outweighs search functionality.
- Restore known-good plugin settings if unexpected resets occurred.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether each WordPress site has the plugin installed.
- Record the installed plugin version and compare it with the affected range.
- Review administrative change history for unexpected search plugin setting resets.
- Review web logs for suspicious unauthenticated activity against plugin functionality.
- After remediation, verify unauthenticated users cannot change or reset plugin settings.
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-306: Credential and account abuse lookup
Authentication and credential weaknesses can make valid-account abuse and credential telemetry useful review starting points. 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 lookupCWE-862: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup
Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. 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-2022-38057 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
- 6.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L3.92.5Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
Source materials
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.
Missing Authentication for Critical Function
Missing Authentication for Critical Function represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Missing Authorization
Missing Authorization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.