CVE-2017-5611

WordPress Core < 4.7.2 - Authenticated SQL Injection

2017-01-26 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 3.7.18
Affected Core: WordPress 4.7
Affected Version: 3.7 – 4.7.1 · 12 branches
CVSS: 8.8High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2017-5611

At a glance

CVE-2017-5611 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WordPress 4.7 WordPress release line, affecting 3.7 – 4.7.1 · 12 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account. The issue is fixed in version 3.7.18; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2017, reported by Mo Jangda (batmoo).

Vulnerability Overview

SQL injection vulnerability in wp-includes/class-wp-query.php in WP_Query in WordPress before 4.7.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands by leveraging the presence of an affected plugin or theme that mishandles a crafted post type name.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')

Reaching this weakness in WordPress 4.7 3.7 – 4.7.1 · 12 branches takes any authenticated account. SQL injection happens when request data is concatenated into a query instead of being bound as a parameter, letting an attacker change the structure of the statement rather than just its values.

A working injection can read any table the database user can see, which on a WordPress install means user records, password hashes and session or API secrets stored in options. For WordPress 4.7 the fix is 3.7.18: builds 3.7 – 4.7.1 · 12 branches are affected, anything from 3.7.18 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 3.7.18, 3.8.18, 3.9.16, 4.0.15, 4.1.15, 4.2.12, 4.3.8, 4.4.7, 4.5.6, 4.6.3, 4.7.2

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WordPress 4.7: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 3.7.18 is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-5611 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8ddeaf57-df82-48f0-b53d-a35a6cd80aca https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5611

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in WordPress 4.7

CVSS Vector

8.8

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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