# CVE-2022-0952: Sitemap by click5 < 1.0.36 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update

> Unauthenticated attackers can update arbitrary WordPress options via a REST endpoint, enabling admin account creation and site takeover.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 May 2022
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r487-g863-pm8x

## What is CVE-2022-0952?

CVE-2022-0952 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Sitemap by click5, published on 2 May 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Sitemap by click5 WordPress plugin before 1.0.36 does not have authorisation and CSRF checks when updating options via a REST endpoint, and does not ensure that the option to be updated belongs to the plugin. As a result, unauthenticated attackers could change arbitrary blog options, such as the users_can_register and default_role, allowing them to create a new admin account and take over the blog.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-0952?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sitemap Project Sitemap.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-0952?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-0952 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-0952 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-0952 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Sitemap by click5 < 1.0.36 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update (github_poc): https://github.com/RandomRobbieBF/CVE-2022-0952
- WordPress Sitemap by click5 <1.0.36 - Missing Authorization (nuclei): http/cves/2022/CVE-2022-0952.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Sitemap by click5

- [CVE-2021-24192](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-24192/): Tree Sitemap < 2.9 - Arbitrary Plugin Installation/Activation via Low Privilege User (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-4545](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4545/): Sitemap < 4.4 - Contributor+ Stored XSS (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-0952 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-0952 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Sitemap by click5, published on 2 May 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-0952 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Sitemap by click5. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0952/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0952/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-0952
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0952
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-0952

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0952/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.