CVE-2021-24462

Photo Gallery by Ays - Responsive Image Gallery <= 4.4.3 - Authenticated Blind SQL Injections

2021-06-29 00:00
To Quang Duong

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.4.4
Affected Plugin
Photo Gallery by Ays – Responsive Image Gallery
Affected Version
< 4.4.4
CVSS
7.2High
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2021-24462
View all Photo Gallery by Ays – Responsive Image Gallery vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2021-24462 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Photo Gallery by Ays WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 4.4.4. It carries a CVSS score of 7.2 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account. The issue is fixed in version 4.4.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2021, reported by To Quang Duong.

Vulnerability Overview

The get_gallery_categories() and get_galleries() functions in the Photo Gallery by Ays – Responsive Image Gallery WordPress plugin before 4.4.4 did not use whitelist or validate the orderby parameter before using it in SQL statements passed to the get_results() DB calls, leading to SQL injection issues in the admin dashboard

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')

Photo Gallery by Ays < 4.4.4 carries this weakness at get_gallery_categories(), and reaching it 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 Photo Gallery by Ays the fix is 4.4.4: builds < 4.4.4 are affected, anything from 4.4.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.4.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Photo Gallery by Ays: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Photo Gallery by Ays 4.4.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24462https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/36c32212-0d52-435e-bb6a-39ea07363a86https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24462

Related records

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