CVE-2011-4803 in wptouch
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in wptouch/ajax.php in the WPTouch plugin for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The CVE-2011-4803 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the wptouch plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting the ajax.php file. This vulnerability resides in the plugin's handling of the id parameter, which is processed without adequate input validation or sanitization. The wptouch plugin, designed to provide mobile-friendly themes and functionality for WordPress websites, becomes a potential entry point for malicious actors seeking to compromise WordPress installations. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands directly into the database layer, bypassing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms that typically protect database operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the id parameter in the ajax.php file is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries. This allows attackers to manipulate the SQL execution flow by injecting malicious SQL syntax through the parameter. The vulnerability follows the classic SQL injection pattern where user-supplied input is directly concatenated into database queries without proper escaping or parameterization. The id parameter likely serves as a database identifier for retrieving specific content or performing administrative operations within the plugin's ajax functionality. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable code, execute unintended database operations such as data extraction, modification, or deletion. This flaw aligns with CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as weaknesses in software that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-4803 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive database access that can lead to complete system compromise. Successful exploitation enables attackers to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and administrative access details stored in the WordPress database. The vulnerability can also facilitate data manipulation attacks where attackers modify or delete critical content, potentially leading to service disruption or data corruption. Since WordPress installations often contain valuable user information and business-critical data, this vulnerability poses significant risk to website owners and their visitors. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the Database Compromise and Credential Access domains, where adversaries leverage injection flaws to gain unauthorized database access and escalate privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4803 require immediate action to address the vulnerability. The primary remediation involves updating the wptouch plugin to a patched version that properly sanitizes input parameters before incorporating them into SQL queries. Organizations should implement input validation and parameterized queries as defensive measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that database accounts used by WordPress have minimal required permissions, limiting the potential damage from successful attacks. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar injection vulnerabilities throughout the application stack. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual database access patterns and SQL query modifications that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date plugins and themes, as outdated software components often contain known vulnerabilities that attackers actively exploit in the wild.