CVE-2022-2438 HIGH

CVE-2022-2438: Broken Link Checker <= 1.11.16 - Authenticated (Admin+) PHAR Deserialization

Vendor Wpmudev
Product Broken Link Checker
Weakness CWE-502 · Unsafe deserialization
Published September 6, 2022
Last update April 8, 2026

CVSS base score

7.2/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required High
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

The Broken Link Checker plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to deserialization of untrusted input via the '$log_file' value in versions up to, and including 1.11.16. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with administrative privileges and above to call files using a PHAR wrapper that will deserialize the data and call arbitrary PHP Objects that can be used to perform a variety of malicious actions granted a POP chain is also present. It also requires that the attacker is successful in uploading a file with the serialized payload.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

September 6, 2022 CVE published
April 8, 2026 Record updated