CVE-2021-25069

WordPress Download Manager <= 3.2.33 - Authenticated SQL Injection

2022-01-20 00:00
Krzysztof Zając

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.2.34
Affected Plugin
Download Manager
Affected Version
< 3.2.34
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2021-25069
View all Download Manager vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2021-25069 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Download Manager WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 3.2.34. 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 3.2.34; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2022, reported by Krzysztof Zając.

Vulnerability Overview

The Download Manager WordPress plugin before 3.2.34 does not sanitise and escape the package_ids parameter before using it in a SQL statement, leading to a SQL injection, which can also be exploited to cause a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting 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. 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 Download Manager < 3.2.34 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 Download Manager the fix is 3.2.34: builds < 3.2.34 are affected, anything from 3.2.34 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.2.34, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Download Manager: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Download Manager 3.2.34 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25069https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/ed6e0136-f4fa-4739-b02d-b53091991e58https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25069

Related records

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