Quiz And Survey Master < 4.4.4 - Multiple SQL Injections

2015-07-16 00:00
Marcin Probola

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.4.4
Affected Plugin
Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) – Quiz Maker & Survey Maker
Affected Version
< 4.4.4
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE pending
View all Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) – Quiz Maker & Survey Maker vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 4.4.4. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 4.4.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed July 2015, reported by Marcin Probola.

Vulnerability Overview

The Quiz And Survey Master plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Multiple SQL Injections via several parameters in versions before 4.4.4 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 of low-privilege 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 Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) < 4.4.4 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 Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) the fix is 4.4.4: builds < 4.4.4 are affected, anything from 4.4.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.4.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Quiz and Survey Master (QSM): WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) 4.4.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/3a17b6ad-c778-4677-b5bd-6ffc9b425ba1

Related records

Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C