CVE-2021-26754

wpDataTables (Premium) <= 3.4 - SQL Injection

2021-02-02 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 3.4.1
Affected Plugin: wpDataTables (Premium)
Affected Version: <= 3.4
CVSS: 8.8High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2021-26754

View all wpDataTables (Premium) vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2021-26754 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the wpDataTables (Premium) WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.4. 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 3.4.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2021, reported by Veno Eivazian.

Vulnerability Overview

wpDataTables before 3.4.1 mishandles order direction for server-side tables, aka admin-ajax.php?action=get_wdtable order[0][dir] SQL injection. Please note that this only affects the premium version of the plugin which shares the same slug as the free version.

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 wpDataTables (Premium) <= 3.4 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 wpDataTables (Premium) the fix is 3.4.1: builds <= 3.4 are affected, anything from 3.4.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.4.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to wpDataTables (Premium): WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: wpDataTables (Premium) 3.4.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-26754 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/775e9f94-b66d-4c22-81ef-c335c0654f08 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-26754

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in wpDataTables (Premium)

CVSS Vector

8.8

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

Base

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

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