CVE-2022-45813: BeRocket Advanced AJAX Product Filters Missing Authorization Flaw

Technical summary

CVE-2022-45813 is a CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) vulnerability in the BeRocket Advanced AJAX Product Filters plugin. The plugin fails to properly enforce access control checks on certain operations, allowing authenticated attackers to bypass intended permission boundaries. The vulnerability affects all versions through 1.6.3.3. With a CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 (MEDIUM), the attack requires valid user credentials but no special interaction—the attacker can directly exploit the misconfigured authorization logic via network requests.

Business impact

Organizations running WooCommerce storefronts with this plugin risk unauthorized data exposure and modification. An employee, reseller, or authenticated user could access or alter product filters, pricing data, or inventory configurations outside their assigned role. For multi-vendor platforms, this could lead to cross-shop data leakage. The medium severity reflects the requirement for prior authentication, but the impact on data integrity and confidentiality warrants timely remediation to prevent competitive intelligence theft or sabotage.

Affected systems

BeRocket Advanced AJAX Product Filters versions 1.6.3.3 and earlier are affected. This includes all plugin deployments on WordPress/WooCommerce sites that have not upgraded past the vulnerable release. Organizations should audit their WooCommerce admin dashboards to confirm installed versions and scope.

Exploitability

Exploitation is straightforward once an attacker gains valid credentials (employee, contractor, or compromised account). No special tools, user interaction, or network configuration is required—the attacker simply makes direct requests to the vulnerable endpoints. The low complexity and availability of standard WordPress attack tooling means this could be exploited opportunistically by insiders or credential-theft victims. However, the requirement for pre-existing authentication limits the overall attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities.

Remediation

Upgrade BeRocket Advanced AJAX Product Filters to a patched version beyond 1.6.3.3. Verify the specific patch version against the BeRocket plugin repository or vendor advisory. After patching, test product filter functionality and access controls in a staging environment before production deployment. Review user role assignments and enforce principle of least privilege to minimize exposure from compromised accounts.

Patch guidance

Check the BeRocket Advanced AJAX Product Filters release notes and security advisories to identify the first patched version after 1.6.3.3. Update via the WordPress plugin dashboard or direct download from the official repository. Verify the update completes successfully and confirm access control behavior has been corrected by testing as different user roles. Schedule patching during low-traffic periods to avoid disruption.

Detection guidance

Monitor WooCommerce user activity logs for unauthorized access to advanced AJAX product filter endpoints or administrative settings. Watch for API calls from unexpected user roles or accounts accessing filter configuration. Implement Web Application Firewall rules to flag requests that manipulate product filter parameters from unprivileged accounts. Review WordPress plugin version inventory regularly to identify outdated versions still in use.

Why prioritize this

While CVSS 5.4 rates this as MEDIUM, prioritize remediation because: (1) the fix is straightforward and low-risk, (2) privilege escalation via authenticated users poses ongoing insider risk, (3) the plugin is widely used in e-commerce, and (4) delayed patching extends the window for opportunistic exploitation by disgruntled staff or account takeover victims. Patch this within 30 days.

Risk score, explained

CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 reflects MEDIUM severity due to the required authentication (PR:L), limited scope, and no availability impact. However, the confidentiality and integrity impact (C:L/I:L) across a network-accessible interface (AV:N/AC:L) elevates practical risk for multi-user WooCommerce deployments. Organizations with sensitive product data or strict user segregation should treat this as higher priority than the base score alone suggests.

Frequently asked questions