CVE-2021-24866

WP Data Access <= 4.3.1 - Admin+ SQL Injection

2021-11-08 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 5.0.0
Affected Plugin: WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Charts, Maps & Dashboards
Affected Version: <= 4.3.1
CVSS: 7.2High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2021-24866

View all WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Charts, Maps & Dashboards vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2021-24866 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WP Data Access WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.3.1. It carries a CVSS score of 7.2 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 5.0.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2021, reported by ZhongFu Su.

Vulnerability Overview

The WP Data Access WordPress plugin before 5.0.0 does not properly sanitise and escape the backup_date parameter before using it a SQL statement, leading to a SQL injection issue and could allow arbitrary table deletion

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 WP Data Access <= 4.3.1 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 WP Data Access the fix is 5.0.0: builds <= 4.3.1 are affected, anything from 5.0.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 5.0.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WP Data Access: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: WP Data Access 5.0.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24866 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7cb9cc24-920f-402d-8a87-8b6c6a1b1a51 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24866

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Charts, Maps & Dashboards

CVSS Vector

7.2

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

Base

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

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