Left right image slideshow gallery <= 12.0 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) SQL Injection via Shortcode
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 12.1
- Affected Plugin
- Left right image slideshow gallery
- Affected Version
<= 12.0- CVSS
- 8.8High
- Weakness type
- CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2023-5431
At a glance
CVE-2023-5431 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Left right image slideshow gallery WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 12.0. 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 12.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2023, reported by István Márton.
Vulnerability Overview
The Left right image slideshow gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the plugin's shortcode in versions up to, and including, 12.0 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 and above permissions 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')
Reaching this weakness in Left right image slideshow gallery <= 12.0 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 Left right image slideshow gallery the fix is 12.1: builds <= 12.0 are affected, anything from 12.1 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 12.1, 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: Left right image slideshow gallery 12.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
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