CVE-2020-13640

Comments - wpDiscuz <= 5.3.5 - Blind SQL Injection via order Parameter

2020-06-12 00:00
asterite

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 5.3.6
Affected Plugin
Comments – wpDiscuz
Affected Version
< 5.3.6
CVSS
9.8Critical
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE-2020-13640
View all Comments – wpDiscuz vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2020-13640 is a critical-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the Comments WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 5.3.6. 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 5.3.6; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2020, reported by asterite.

Vulnerability Overview

A SQL injection issue in the gVectors wpDiscuz plugin 5.3.5 and earlier for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the order parameter of a wpdLoadMoreComments request. (No 7.x versions are affected.)

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 Comments < 5.3.6 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 Comments the fix is 5.3.6: builds < 5.3.6 are affected, anything from 5.3.6 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 5.3.6, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Comments: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Comments 5.3.6 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13640https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/79b0a90b-5b75-4757-bd7b-909350f54175https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13640

Related records

Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C