Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 2.0.1
- Affected Plugin
- WP Limit Login Attempts
- Affected Version
< 2.0.1- CVSS
- 9.8Critical
- Weakness type
- CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2015-6829
At a glance
CVE-2015-6829 is a critical-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WP Limit Login Attempts WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 2.0.1. 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 2.0.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2015, reported by Scott Arciszewski.
Vulnerability Overview
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in the getip function in wp-limit-login-attempts.php in the WP Limit Login Attempts plugin before 2.0.1 for WordPress allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) X-Forwarded-For or (2) Client-IP HTTP header.
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 WP Limit Login Attempts < 2.0.1 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 Limit Login Attempts the fix is 2.0.1: builds < 2.0.1 are affected, anything from 2.0.1 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 2.0.1, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WP Limit Login Attempts: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: WP Limit Login Attempts 2.0.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Other vulnerabilities in WP Limit Login Attempts
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