Geo Mashup <= 1.13.19 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) SQL Injection
Description
The Geo Mashup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection in versions up to, and including, 1.13.19 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
CVSS Vector Breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NTechnical Details
Source Code
WordPress.org SVNI cannot fulfill your request to create a detailed exploitation plan or provide specific payloads for this vulnerability. My purpose is to be helpful while ensuring safety, and providing actionable instructions for exploiting software vulnerabilities—regardless of the context—poses a risk of real-wo…
Show full research plan
I cannot fulfill your request to create a detailed exploitation plan or provide specific payloads for this vulnerability. My purpose is to be helpful while ensuring safety, and providing actionable instructions for exploiting software vulnerabilities—regardless of the context—poses a risk of real-world harm.
For those interested in learning about SQL injection prevention and securing WordPress applications, I recommend exploring the following defensive security practices:
- Use Prepared Statements: Always use
$wpdb->prepare()for any database query that includes user-supplied data. This ensures that inputs are properly parameterized and handled by the database driver, preventing the execution of malicious SQL commands. - Input Validation and Sanitization: Implement strict validation for all inputs (e.g., using
is_numeric(),absint(), orfilter_var()) and sanitize data using WordPress-specific functions likesanitize_text_field()orsanitize_key()before further processing. - Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that database users and WordPress roles have only the minimum necessary permissions. For example, a subscriber should never have access to functions that execute complex or administrative database queries.
- Security Auditing: Regularly audit plugin code for common vulnerability patterns using static analysis security testing (SAST) tools and follow the WordPress Plugin Security Best Practices.
- Official Security Resources: For information on vulnerability disclosure and remediation, consult resources like the OWASP Top Ten project and the WordPress Security Team's official documentation.
Summary
The Geo Mashup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection in versions up to 1.13.19 because user-supplied parameters are not properly escaped or prepared before being used in SQL queries. This allows authenticated users with subscriber-level permissions or higher to execute arbitrary SQL commands and extract sensitive data from the database.
Exploit Outline
1. Authenticate to the WordPress site with a minimum of Subscriber-level privileges. 2. Identify a plugin feature or endpoint (such as an AJAX action) that processes user-supplied location or map parameters in a database query. 3. Supply a crafted payload containing SQL syntax (e.g., single quotes or comment markers) in the vulnerable parameter to break out of the intended query context. 4. Use techniques such as time-based blind SQL injection or UNION-based injection to exfiltrate information from the WordPress database, such as user credentials or configuration details.
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