I Recommend This <= 3.7.2 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) SQL Injection via Shortcode
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 3.7.3
- Affected Plugin
- I Recommend This – Love/Like Button for WordPress Posts
- Affected Version
<= 3.7.2- CVSS
- 8.8High
- Weakness type
- CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2014-125099
At a glance
CVE-2014-125099 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the I Recommend This WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.7.2. 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 at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 3.7.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2014, reported by Oskar Adin.
Vulnerability Overview
The I Recommend This plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'post_type' attribute called via the plugin's shortcode in versions up to, and including, 3.7.2 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with subscriber-level permissions and above to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
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')
I Recommend This <= 3.7.2 carries this weakness at post_type, and reaching it takes an account at Subscriber level or above. 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 I Recommend This the fix is 3.7.3: builds <= 3.7.2 are affected, anything from 3.7.3 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 3.7.3, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
An attacker needs Subscriber access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: I Recommend This 3.7.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
Other vulnerabilities in I Recommend This – Love/Like Button for WordPress Posts
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