CVE-2022-21664

WordPress Core < 5.8.3 - SQL Injection via WP_Meta_Query

2022-01-06 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 4.1.34
Affected Core: WordPress 5.8
Affected Version: 4.1 – < 5.8.3 · 18 branches
CVSS: 7.4High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2022-21664

At a glance

CVE-2022-21664 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WordPress 5.8 WordPress release line, affecting 4.1 – < 5.8.3 · 18 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 7.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 4.1.34; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2022, reported by Ben Bidner.

Vulnerability Overview

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MariaDB database. Due to lack of proper sanitization in one of the classes, there's potential for unintended SQL queries to be executed. This has been patched in WordPress version 5.8.3. Older affected versions are also fixed via security release, that go back till 4.1.34. We strongly recommend that you keep auto-updates enabled. There are no known workarounds for this issue.

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.

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

Reaching this weakness in WordPress 5.8 4.1 – < 5.8.3 · 18 branches takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. 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 5.8 the fix is 4.1.34: builds 4.1 – < 5.8.3 · 18 branches are affected, anything from 4.1.34 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 4.1.34, 4.2.31, 4.3.27, 4.4.26, 4.5.25, 4.6.22, 4.7.22, 4.8.18, 4.9.19, 5.0.15, 5.1.12, 5.2.14, 5.3.11, 5.4.9, 5.5.8, 5.6.7, 5.7.5, 5.8.3

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WordPress 5.8: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 4.1.34 is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-21664 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0114f098-713d-4eef-8643-901f607375de https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-21664

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in WordPress 5.8

CVSS Vector

7.4

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityLow

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