CVE-2022-21663

Name: CVE-2022-21663
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-01-06T23:15:08.067+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.2/10EPSS 3.69%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2022-21663 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.2/10 on the CVSS scale. WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MariaDB database. On a multisite, users with Super Admin role can bypass explicit/additional hardening under certain conditions through object injection. EPSS estimates a 3.69% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MariaDB database. On a multisite, users with Super Admin role can bypass explicit/additional hardening under certain conditions through object injection. This has been patched in WordPress version 5.8.3. Older affected versions are also fixed via security release, that go back till 3.7.37. We strongly recommend that you keep auto-updates enabled. There are no known workarounds for this issue.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.2/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

3.69%

88.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Wordpress	Wordpress	< 5.8.3
Debian	Debian Linux	9.0
Debian	Debian Linux	10.0
Debian	Debian Linux	11.0
Fedoraproject	Fedora	34
Fedoraproject	Fedora	35

References

https://blog.sonarsource.com/wordpress-object-injection-vulnerability/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-jmmq-m8p8-332hThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00019.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CV4UNEC63UU5GEU47IIR4RMTZAHNEOJG/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DM6XPH3JN6V4NF4WBOJTOXZIVE6VKKE3/
https://wordpress.org/news/2022/01/wordpress-5-8-3-security-release/Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5039Third Party Advisory
https://blog.sonarsource.com/wordpress-object-injection-vulnerability/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-jmmq-m8p8-332hThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00019.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CV4UNEC63UU5GEU47IIR4RMTZAHNEOJG/
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DM6XPH3JN6V4NF4WBOJTOXZIVE6VKKE3/
https://wordpress.org/news/2022/01/wordpress-5-8-3-security-release/Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5039Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 6, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-21663?

How severe is CVE-2022-21663?

CVE-2022-21663 has a CVSS score of 7.2/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 3.69% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-21663?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2022-21663?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST