The 32-year-old top seed dropped the opening game but recovered to win 9-11 13-11 11-6 11-3 in 46 minutes.
Massaro, who became world number one in January, is trying to win her second world title following her 2013 victory.
She will play Joshna Chinappa of India in the second round.
"In practice over the last few days the court felt really bouncy, but when we got on there, it just seemed to be dead," Massaro told the PSA World Tour.
"In the first two games I was struggling with my length and leaving the ball short and she was picking me off. It was quite dead at the front so I wasn't getting there quick enough.
"Maybe I was a little bit flat emotionally, in the first game particularly."
Egyptian third seed Raneem El Welily beat Tesni Evans of Wales 3-0, and Egyptian sixth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy beat England's Emily Whitlock 3-0.
Home favourite Nicol David, trying to win a ninth world title, is the second seed in Kuala Lumpur and begins her campaign on Tuesday.
England's Laura Massaro was given an early scare before fighting back to beat Mexican qualifier Samantha Teran in round one of the squash Women's World Championship in Malaysia.