WordPress Release: 4.7.22

TL;DR

WordPress 4.7.22 brings important security and bug fixes to the 4.7 branch

This maintenance release focuses on improving data sanitization in query components and addressing potential security vulnerabilities. Key improvements include better sanitization in WP_Tax_Query and WP_Meta_Query, safer handling of serialized data, and fixes for date/time handling to prevent race conditions in tests. This update is recommended for all WordPress 4.7 installations to maintain security and stability.

Highlight of the Release

• Enhanced security through improved sanitization in WP_Tax_Query and WP_Meta_Query
• Reduced security risk by avoiding unnecessary use of unserialize()
• Fixed date/time handling in get_gmt_from_date() tests to prevent race conditions
• Improved post slug generation with proper ASCII character encoding

Migration Guide

No specific migration steps are required for this update. This is a maintenance release that focuses on security enhancements and bug fixes without introducing breaking changes.

To update to WordPress 4.7.22:

1. Back up your website files and database before updating
2. Update through your WordPress dashboard or download the update from the WordPress.org website
3. Verify your site functionality after the update is complete

Upgrade Recommendations

This update is highly recommended for all WordPress 4.7 installations due to the security enhancements included. The security fixes address potential vulnerabilities in query components and serialized data handling.

While WordPress 4.7 is an older branch and no longer receives regular updates, if you are still running a 4.7.x installation, upgrading to 4.7.22 is essential to maintain basic security protections. However, for optimal security and feature support, upgrading to the latest WordPress major version is strongly advised.

Bug Fixes

• Date/Time Handling: Fixed race conditions in get_gmt_from_date() tests by implementing delta comparison instead of exact time matching (#38815)
• Post Slug Generation: Corrected encoding of ASCII characters in post slugs, ensuring proper URL formatting
• Query Components: Addressed sanitization issues in both WP_Tax_Query and WP_Meta_Query to prevent potential security vulnerabilities

New Features

No new features were introduced in this maintenance release. WordPress 4.7.22 focuses on security enhancements and bug fixes for the 4.7 branch.

Security Updates

• Query Sanitization: Improved sanitization within WP_Tax_Query and WP_Meta_Query to prevent potential injection vulnerabilities
• Serialized Data Handling: Enhanced security by avoiding unnecessary use of unserialize() during upgrade and installation processes, reducing the risk of object injection attacks
• Input Validation: Strengthened validation of user inputs throughout query components to prevent potential security issues

Performance Improvements

No specific performance improvements were highlighted in this release. The changes were primarily focused on security enhancements and bug fixes.

Impact Summary

WordPress 4.7.22 is a security-focused maintenance release that addresses several potential vulnerabilities and fixes bugs in the 4.7 branch. The primary impact is improved security through enhanced sanitization in query components (WP_Tax_Query and WP_Meta_Query), safer handling of serialized data, and fixes for date/time handling.

For administrators and site owners, this update reduces security risks without requiring any workflow changes. Developers will benefit from more robust query components with improved sanitization. Content creators will experience more reliable post slug generation with proper ASCII character encoding.

While this update is important for sites still running WordPress 4.7, it's worth noting that this branch is quite old, and migration to a current WordPress version would provide more comprehensive security protection and feature support.