Popup Builder <= 4.0.6 - Authenticated SQL Injection via order & orderby Parameters
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 4.0.7
- Affected Version
< 4.0.7- CVSS
- 7.2High
- Weakness type
- CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2022-0228
At a glance
CVE-2022-0228 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Popup Builder WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 4.0.7. 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 4.0.7; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2022, reported by Tony Wu.
Vulnerability Overview
The Popup Builder WordPress plugin before 4.0.7 does not validate and properly escape the orderby and order parameters before using them in a SQL statement in the admin dashboard, which could allow high privilege users to perform SQL injection
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 Popup Builder < 4.0.7 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 Popup Builder the fix is 4.0.7: builds < 4.0.7 are affected, anything from 4.0.7 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 4.0.7, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Popup Builder: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Popup Builder 4.0.7 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
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