CVE-2021-43408

Duplicate Post WordPress Plugin <= 1.1.9 - SQL Injection

2021-10-19 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.2.0
Affected Plugin
Duplicate Post
Affected Version
< 1.2.0
CVSS
6.5Medium
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2021-43408
View all Duplicate Post vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2021-43408 is a medium-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Duplicate Post WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.2.0. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.2.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2021.

Vulnerability Overview

The "Duplicate Post" WordPress plugin up to and including version 1.1.9 is vulnerable to SQL Injection. SQL injection vulnerabilities occur when client supplied data is included within an SQL Query insecurely. SQL Injection can typically be exploited to read, modify and delete SQL table data. In many cases it also possible to exploit features of SQL server to execute system commands and/or access the local file system. This particular vulnerability can be exploited by any authenticated user who has been granted access to use the Duplicate Post plugin. By default, this is limited to Administrators, however the plugin presents the option to permit access to the Editor, Author, Contributor and Subscriber roles.

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.

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

Reaching this weakness in Duplicate Post < 1.2.0 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 Duplicate Post the fix is 1.2.0: builds < 1.2.0 are affected, anything from 1.2.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.2.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Duplicate Post: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Duplicate Post 1.2.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-43408https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e7a0b40b-560a-4f2a-ad6d-6b2284fd5f25https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43408

Related records

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