Uncover the critical SQL injection vulnerability in the LayerSlider plugin for WordPress, identified as CVE-2024-2879, posing a significant threat to web security and how to safeguard your site.

Introduction

WordPress is an undeniable powerhouse in the content management system landscape, hosting a significant portion of the web's domains. A recent discovery by security researcher AmrAwad (aka 1337_Wannabe) has brought to light a critical SQL injection vulnerability in the LayerSlider plugin. This flaw, identified as CVE-2024-2879, bears a critical severity rating of 9.8 and poses a significant threat to over a million WordPress sites.

Understanding the Vulnerability

At the heart of this issue lies inadequate safeguarding of user inputs and SQL query preparation within the plugin's code, specifically in the "ls_get_popup_markup" action. This oversight allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL commands to extract sensitive information such as password hashes from the website's database.

Wordfence uncovered this vulnerability and awarded a substantial bounty of $5,500 to AmrAwad. The swift response from Kreatura Team, the developers behind LayerSlider, led to the release of a patched version (7.10.1) within days of the disclosure.

The Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation hinges on the misuse of the plugin's 'id' parameter. Attackers can manipulate this parameter, leading to unsafe SQL query execution without proper sanitization. This time-based blind SQL injection involves crafting SQL queries that cause the database to delay responses, thereby confirming the presence of certain data through the timing of the response.

Proactive Steps for Site Owners

To mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability, site owners using the LayerSlider plugin must take immediate action:

• Update to the latest plugin version (7.10.1 or higher)
• Conduct regular security audits of all plugins
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) protection
• Monitor for suspicious database activity

Key Takeaways

The LayerSlider vulnerability highlights the ongoing battle between developers and cyber threat actors. It underscores the importance of vigilance, timely updates, and the role of the community in identifying and mitigating threats. Together, we can work towards a safer, more secure internet.

Here at Vecurity, we can help with this problem. Learn more about how we combat SQL Injection here.