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Broken Link Checker CVE-2022-2438

HIGH
Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502)
2022-09-06 security@wordfence.com
7.2
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Safe deserialization, type allowlists
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 7.2 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction not required. EPSS exploitation probability: 1.34%.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker could execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects by sending crafted requests to the affected application.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 1.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

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. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.2), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Avoid deserializing untrusted data. Use safe serialization formats (JSON). Implement integrity checks and type allowlists.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502), which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects. 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. Affected products include: Managewp Broken Link Checker.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.2 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
High
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch released
Apr 08, 2026 - 18:22 nvd
Patch available
CVE Published
Sep 06, 2022 - 18:15 nvd
HIGH 7.2

DescriptionCVE.org

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.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
1.3%
Top 20% exploitable
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 1.3%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

37
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +36
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Insecure deserialization occurs when an application converts serialized data (a stream of bytes representing an object's state) back into a living object without proper validation.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:a:managewp:broken_link_checker:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
CVE-2019-16521 MEDIUM POC
6.1 Oct 16

The broken-link-checker plugin through 1.11.8 for WordPress (aka Broken Link Checker) is susceptible to Reflected XSS du

CVE-2023-23737 CRITICAL
9.8 Oct 12

Unauth. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low

CVE-2019-17207 MEDIUM POC
5.4 Oct 18

A reflected XSS vulnerability was found in includes/admin/table-printer.php in the broken-link-checker (aka Broken Link

CVE-2022-3922 MEDIUM POC
4.8 Dec 28

The Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin before 1.11.20 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could a

CVE-2024-10903 MEDIUM POC
4.7 Dec 26

The Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin before 2.4.2 does not validate a the link URLs before making a request to them,

CVE-2026-39466 HIGH
7.6 Apr 08

Blind SQL injection in WPMU DEV Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin versions ≤2.4.7 allows authenticated high-privilege

CVE-2026-75528 HIGH
7.2 Sep 02

Stored XSS in the Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin (versions ≤ 2.4.13) allows unauthenticated attackers to inject pe

CVE-2026-96562 MEDIUM
6.5 Oct 16

Arbitrary shortcode execution in the WordPress Broken Link Checker plugin (all versions up to and including 2.4.14.1) al

CVE-2015-5057 MEDIUM
6.1 Aug 18

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in the Wordpress admin panel when the Broken Link Checker plugin before

CVE-2024-25592 MEDIUM
5.9 Mar 15

Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WPMU DEV Broken Li

CVE-2026-84772 MEDIUM
5.5 Sep 02

Server-Side Request Forgery in the Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin (WPMU Dev, versions ≤ 2.4.14) allows high-privil

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