Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 1.2.1
- Affected Plugin
- Availability Calendar
- Affected Version
< 1.2.1- CVSS
- 8.8High
- Weakness type
- CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2021-24606
At a glance
CVE-2021-24606 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Availability Calendar WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.2.1. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.2.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2021, reported by xiahao.
Vulnerability Overview
The Availability Calendar WordPress plugin before 1.2.1 does not escape the category attribute from its shortcode before using it in a SQL statement, leading to a SQL Injection issue, which can be exploited by any user able to add shortcode to posts/pages, such as contributor+
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 Availability Calendar < 1.2.1 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 Availability Calendar the fix is 1.2.1: builds < 1.2.1 are affected, anything from 1.2.1 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 1.2.1, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Availability Calendar: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Availability Calendar 1.2.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Other vulnerabilities in Availability Calendar
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