CVE-2011-5216 in SCORM Cloud Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in ajax.php in SCORM Cloud For WordPress plugin before 1.0.7 for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the active parameter. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5216 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the SCORM Cloud For WordPress plugin ecosystem. This security weakness specifically affects versions prior to 1.0.7 and resides in the ajax.php file which serves as a communication endpoint for asynchronous operations within the plugin. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin fails to properly sanitize or validate user input received through the active parameter, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to manipulate database queries. The SCORM Cloud plugin is designed to facilitate learning management system integration with WordPress platforms, enabling educational content delivery and tracking capabilities. When compromised, this vulnerability allows unauthorized parties to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data exfiltration.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic SQL injection attack pattern where the active parameter in ajax.php becomes the attack vector for malicious input. Attackers can craft specially formatted input strings that bypass normal input validation mechanisms and inject additional SQL commands into the database query execution flow. This flaw directly maps to CWE-89 which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL code into input fields for execution by the database engine. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any location with network access to the vulnerable WordPress installation. The attack surface is expanded by the fact that WordPress plugins often operate with elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their access to full system control.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-5216 extends beyond simple data theft, encompassing complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within network environments. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized modification of educational content, user credential theft, and database corruption that would severely impact learning management operations. Organizations using WordPress with the affected SCORM Cloud plugin face significant risk of unauthorized access to sensitive educational data, including student records, course materials, and assessment results. The vulnerability's presence in a widely used plugin means that numerous WordPress installations across educational institutions, corporate training environments, and government agencies could be simultaneously compromised. Additionally, the SQL injection attack vector allows for potential privilege escalation and persistent backdoor installation, making the attack more dangerous than simple data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5216 center on immediate plugin version updates to 1.0.7 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation flaws. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all WordPress plugins remain current with security updates. Input validation and sanitization measures should be strengthened at multiple layers including application-level filtering, database query parameterization, and web application firewall rules. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring database connections used by WordPress plugins operate with minimal required permissions rather than administrative privileges. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous database query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security professionals should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can identify outdated plugin versions and other potential attack vectors within WordPress environments. Organizations should conduct regular security audits of their WordPress installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other plugins or themes. The remediation process must include thorough testing of updated plugins to ensure compatibility with existing systems while maintaining the security improvements.