CVE-2020-8596

Participants Database <= 1.9.5.5 - SQL Injection

2020-02-10 00:00
Teacish

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.9.5.6
Affected Plugin
Participants Database
Affected Version
< 1.9.5.6
CVSS
7.5High
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2020-8596
View all Participants Database vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2020-8596 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Participants Database WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.9.5.6. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.9.5.6; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2020, reported by Teacish.

Vulnerability Overview

participants-database.php in the Participants Database plugin 1.9.5.5 and previous versions for WordPress has a time-based SQL injection vulnerability via the ascdesc, list_filter_count, or sortBy parameters. It is possible to exfiltrate data and potentially execute code (if certain conditions are met).

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, 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 < 1.9.5.6 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 1.9.5.6: builds < 1.9.5.6 are affected, anything from 1.9.5.6 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.9.5.6, 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 1.9.5.6 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8596https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4ede9023-732d-43e4-9c19-7cf704c95c29https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8596

Related records

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