CVE-2013-1408

MailPoet Newsletters <= 2.2 - Multiple SQL Injections

2013-02-03 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.2.1
Affected Plugin: MailPoet Newsletters (Previous)
Affected Version: <= 2.2
CVSS: 7.2High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2013-1408

View all MailPoet Newsletters (Previous) vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2013-1408 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the MailPoet Newsletters (Previous) WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.2. 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 2.2.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2013, reported by High-Tech Bridge Security Research Lab.

Vulnerability Overview

Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in the Wysija Newsletters plugin before 2.2.1 for WordPress allow remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) search or (2) orderby parameter to wp-admin/admin.php. NOTE: this can be leveraged using CSRF to allow remote unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands.

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 MailPoet Newsletters (Previous) <= 2.2 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 MailPoet Newsletters (Previous) the fix is 2.2.1: builds <= 2.2 are affected, anything from 2.2.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.2.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to MailPoet Newsletters (Previous): WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: MailPoet Newsletters (Previous) 2.2.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-1408 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/289569f5-8a8d-4427-8ad4-e431c955311e https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-1408

Related records

Same weakness class

6.5MailPoet Newsletters <= 2.7.2 SQL Injection

Other vulnerabilities in MailPoet Newsletters (Previous)

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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