Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-41698 is a missing authorization issue in the WordPress If Menu plugin through version 0.16.3. An unauthenticated network attacker may be able to perform actions the plugin should protect, causing limited integrity and availability impact. The provided sources do not show active exploitation or a confirmed fixed version.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate-priority web exposure issue. Prioritize public WordPress sites and environments where menu visibility affects sensitive workflows, but do not escalate as emergency unless local evidence shows abuse or the vendor confirms broader impact.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-862 Missing Authorization in Layered If Menu, package if-menu. The CVSS 3.1 score is 6.5 with AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L, indicating remote, unauthenticated, low-complexity exploitation with low integrity and availability impact and no confidentiality impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the If Menu plugin at version 0.16.3 or earlier. Sites not using this plugin, or using versions outside the affected range, are not identified as affected in the provided bundle.
Exploitation context
The bundle marks this CVE as not in CISA KEV, and no cited source states active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates unauthenticated network reachability, so internet-facing WordPress sites using the affected plugin should still treat it as actionable.
Researcher notes
Evidence is sparse: the bundle identifies missing authorization, affected range through 0.16.3, CWE-862, and CVSS impact, but not the vulnerable endpoint, fixed version, exploit maturity, or operational workaround. Avoid assuming exploit details beyond the published vector.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the If Menu plugin and its version.
- Check Patchstack and vendor guidance for a fixed release or official workaround.
- Upgrade the plugin if a fixed version is available from trusted sources.
- Disable or remove the plugin where business need is low.
- Limit WordPress administrative exposure using existing access controls.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether each WordPress site has the if-menu plugin installed.
- Record the installed plugin version and flag 0.16.3 or earlier.
- Review plugin update history against vendor or Patchstack guidance.
- Check logs for unexpected menu or plugin configuration changes.
- Retest staging sites after update, disablement, or removal.
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-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-2022-41698 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 Authorization
Missing Authorization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.