CVE-2014-3848 in iMember360
Summary
by MITRE
The iMember360 plugin before 3.9.001 for WordPress does not properly restrict access, which allows remote attackers to obtain database credentials via the i4w_dbinfo parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3848 resides within the iMember360 plugin for WordPress, a popular membership management solution that enables website administrators to create and manage user access controls. This particular flaw affects versions prior to 3.9.001 and represents a critical access control weakness that directly impacts the security posture of WordPress installations. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and access restriction mechanisms within the plugin's database information retrieval functionality, creating an exploitable condition that adversaries can leverage to gain unauthorized access to sensitive database credentials.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the i4w_dbinfo parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to bypass intended access controls. When the plugin processes this parameter without adequate sanitization or authorization checks, it exposes database credential information to remote threat actors who can craft malicious requests to extract this sensitive data. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control where the plugin fails to validate user privileges before allowing access to database configuration details. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories, specifically targeting database credentials as a critical asset.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as database credentials provide attackers with direct access to the underlying database structure containing user information, membership data, and potentially other sensitive content stored within the WordPress installation. Attackers can leverage these credentials to perform unauthorized database operations including data exfiltration, modification of user accounts, injection of malicious content, or even complete database compromise. The exposure of database credentials also enables attackers to escalate their privileges within the WordPress environment and potentially move laterally to other systems that may share the same database connections or credentials. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress sites using the iMember360 plugin, making them susceptible to targeted attacks that specifically aim to exploit this access control weakness.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3848 primarily focus on immediate remediation through plugin version updates to 3.9.001 or later, which contain the necessary access control fixes. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of plugin usage and database access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious parameter manipulation attempts, enforcing strict input validation on all user-supplied parameters, and conducting regular security audits of installed WordPress plugins. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls for database connections and regularly rotate database credentials to minimize the impact of potential credential exposure. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and proper access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data through membership management systems.