CVE-2019-9978 WordPress Social Warfare Plugin: web page flaw
In plain words: A web app can be made to act on someone's behalf or reach places it should not. Stolen sessions, actions taken as the victim, or access to internal systems.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install WordPress's security update for Social Warfare Plugin. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- WordPress Social Warfare Plugin Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
- Product
- WordPress Social Warfare Plugin
- CISA description
- WordPress Social Warfare plugin contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability that allows for remote code execution. This vulnerability affects Social Warfare and Social Warfare Pro.
- Type of flaw
- Web page flaw (CWE-79)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2019-9978 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-9978
Is CVE-2019-9978 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-9978 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2019-9978?
Install WordPress's security update for Social Warfare Plugin. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2019-9978?
Only if you use WordPress Social Warfare Plugin. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.