CVE-2014-3961

Participants Database < 1.5.4.9 - SQL Injection

2014-06-02 00:00
Yarubo Research Team

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.5.4.9
Affected Plugin
Participants Database
Affected Version
< 1.5.4.9
CVSS
9.8Critical
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2014-3961
View all Participants Database vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2014-3961 is a critical-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Participants Database WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.5.4.9. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 1.5.4.9; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2014, reported by Yarubo Research Team.

Vulnerability Overview

SQL injection vulnerability in the Export CSV page in the Participants Database plugin before 1.5.4.9 for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the query parameter in an "output CSV" action to pdb-signup/.

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 privileges on the target site, 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 Participants Database < 1.5.4.9 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 Participants Database the fix is 1.5.4.9: builds < 1.5.4.9 are affected, anything from 1.5.4.9 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.5.4.9, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Participants Database: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Participants Database 1.5.4.9 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3961https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/144df910-67d2-4e3b-9ccf-04ebd5d1bf8bhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3961

Related records

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