CVE-2013-1400 in WordPress Poll Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in CWPPoll.js in WordPress Poll Plugin 34.5 for WordPress allow attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the pollid or poll_id parameter in a viewPollResults or userlogs action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1400 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the WordPress Poll Plugin version 34.5, specifically affecting the CWPPoll.js component. This vulnerability exposes the plugin to malicious SQL command execution through improper input validation in two distinct parameters: pollid and poll_id. The attack vector targets the viewPollResults and userlogs actions, which are core functionalities of the polling system designed to display poll results and user logging information respectively. The flaw stems from the plugin's failure to adequately sanitize or escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into database queries, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate the underlying database operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious input through the pollid or poll_id parameters within the URL structure of the affected WordPress site. The plugin's code directly incorporates these parameters into SQL queries without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL syntax that can be executed by the database server. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications, and represents a classic example of improper input validation and output encoding failures. The attack can potentially lead to unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise depending on the attacker's privileges and the database configuration.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1400 extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive user information. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to extract all poll-related data, including user responses, voting patterns, and potentially other database contents if the database user has elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the core polling functionality that many WordPress sites rely upon for user engagement and data collection, making it a prime target for exploitation. Additionally, the attack can be performed without authentication, making it especially concerning for publicly accessible WordPress installations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the WordPress Poll Plugin to version 34.6 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. System administrators should also implement proper input validation at the web application level, ensuring that all parameters passed to database queries undergo strict sanitization and escaping before processing. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications through SQL injection attacks. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their WordPress plugins and themes to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.