# CVE-2022-1390: Admin Word Count Column <= 2.2 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Read

> Unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files and potentially execute code via path traversal in the Admin Word Count Column plugin.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-35fp-65cr-47q7

## What is CVE-2022-1390?

CVE-2022-1390 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Unknown Admin Word Count Column, published on 25 Apr 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Admin Word Count Column WordPress plugin through 2.2 does not validate the path parameter given to readfile(), which could allow unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files on server running old version of PHP susceptible to the null byte technique. This could also lead to RCE by using a Phar Deserialization technique

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-1390?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Admin Word Count Column Project Admin Word Count Column.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-1390?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-1390 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-1390 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-1390 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Admin Word Count Column 2.2 - Local File Inclusion (nuclei): http/cves/2022/CVE-2022-1390.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-1390 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-1390 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Unknown Admin Word Count Column, published on 25 Apr 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-1390 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Admin Word Count Column. 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-2022-1390/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1390/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-1390
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-1390
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-1390

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1390/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.