CVE-2022-40223Network attack vector

Plugin settings modification via leaked AJAX nonce

Published Nov 8, 2022 · Updated Apr 28, 2026

Missing authorization in SearchWP 4.2.5 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to modify plugin settings through WordPress AJAX. A nonce protecting the settings-update function is exposed to subscribers, while that function performs no capability or authorization check. Subscriber-level access is sufficient, and successful exploitation changes SearchWP configuration rather than granting broader WordPress privileges directly.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in SearchWP 4.2.5 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to modify plugin settings through WordPress AJAX. A nonce protecting the settings-update function is exposed to subscribers, while that function performs no capability or authorization check. Subscriber-level access is sufficient, and successful exploitation changes SearchWP configuration rather than granting broader WordPress privileges directly.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-40223
Published
Nov 8, 2022
Updated
Apr 28, 2026
Vendor
SearchWP, LLC
Product
SearchWP
Classifications
CWE-862, T1565
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 8, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 28, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=<= 4.2.5 <=4.2.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

SearchWP, LLC · SearchWPversion=<= 4.2.5 <=4.2.5

Published CVSS scores

5.4PatchstackCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
4.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1565Data Manipulation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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