CVE-2014-9175

wpDataTables (Premium) <= 1.5.3 - SQL Injection

2014-11-23 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.5.4
Affected Plugin: wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin
Affected Version: <= 1.5.3
CVSS: 9.8Critical
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2014-9175

View all wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2014-9175 is a critical-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the wpDataTables WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.5.3. 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 1.5.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2014, reported by Claudio Viviani.

Vulnerability Overview

SQL injection vulnerability in wpdatatables.php in the wpDataTables plugin 1.5.3 and earlier for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the table_id parameter in a get_wdtable action to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php.

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 wpDataTables <= 1.5.3 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 wpDataTables the fix is 1.5.4: builds <= 1.5.3 are affected, anything from 1.5.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.5.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to wpDataTables: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: wpDataTables 1.5.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9175 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8a4ae629-51c8-4acc-bf95-fb0282e88383 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9175

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin

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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