CVE-2009-2144 in FireStats
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the FireStats plugin before 1.6.2-stable for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2021
The CVE-2009-2144 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the FireStats plugin for WordPress systems prior to version 1.6.2-stable. This vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities, making it a fundamental security weakness that has plagued web applications for decades. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user input that is subsequently processed through sql queries without proper sanitization or parameterization mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers can manipulate input parameters that are directly incorporated into sql query strings within the FireStats plugin. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple entry points within the plugin's codebase could potentially be exploited, making the attack surface broader than typical single-point vulnerabilities. Attackers could craft malicious sql commands that would be executed on the underlying database server, potentially leading to complete database compromise, data exfiltration, or unauthorized administrative access to the wordpress installation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to escalate privileges and gain full control over the affected wordpress site. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. The vulnerability's presence in a widely used plugin like FireStats means that countless wordpress installations were potentially exposed, creating a significant attack surface for threat actors. Organizations running vulnerable versions of this plugin faced the risk of unauthorized content modification, user credential theft, and potential use as a staging ground for further attacks within their network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate plugin updates to version 1.6.2-stable or later, which would contain the necessary sql injection protections. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries within the plugin code would prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should monitor for suspicious sql patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining updated third-party plugins and following security best practices such as those outlined in the owasp top ten project, which specifically addresses sql injection as one of the most critical web application security risks. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and conduct regular security audits to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their entire application portfolio.