CVE-2009-2383

Related Sites <= 2.2 - SQL Injection

2009-06-30 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.2.1
Affected Plugin: Related Sites
Affected Version: <= 2.2
CVSS: 9.8Critical
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2009-2383

At a glance

CVE-2009-2383 is a critical-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Related Sites WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.2. 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 2.2.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2009, reported by eLwaux.

Vulnerability Overview

SQL injection vulnerability in BTE_RW_webajax.php in the Related Sites plugin 2.1 for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the guid parameter.

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 Related Sites <= 2.2 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 Related Sites the fix is 2.2.1: builds <= 2.2 are affected, anything from 2.2.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.2.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Related Sites: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Related Sites 2.2.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-2383 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9970f9e5-ca20-4424-a501-9c8186ede497 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-2383

CVSS Vector

9.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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