CVE-2014-9305 in Cart66 Lite
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the shortcodeProductsTable function in models/Cart66Ajax.php in the Cart66 Lite plugin before 1.5.2 for WordPress allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter in a shortcode_products_table action to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The CVE-2014-9305 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Cart66 Lite e-commerce plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 1.5.2 and resides within the shortcodeProductsTable function located in the models/Cart66Ajax.php file. The flaw manifests when the plugin processes the id parameter through the shortcode_products_table action endpoint in wp-admin/admin-ajax.php, creating an attack vector that enables malicious actors to manipulate database queries. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that users with legitimate WordPress accounts can exploit this weakness without requiring administrative privileges or additional authentication mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which classifies SQL injection as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. The attack occurs when user-supplied input from the id parameter is directly concatenated into SQL query strings without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms. This allows attackers to craft malicious input that alters the intended execution flow of database queries, potentially enabling them to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or even gain deeper system access. The vulnerability operates within the WordPress AJAX framework, leveraging the legitimate wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint that handles asynchronous requests, making the attack more subtle and harder to detect through standard security monitoring.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other exploitation techniques. Authenticated users can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially accessing customer information, payment details, or other sensitive business data stored within the WordPress database. Attackers may also use this vulnerability to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment, modify product catalogs, or inject malicious code into the system. The implications are particularly severe for e-commerce platforms where the Cart66 Lite plugin is deployed, as the compromise of customer data or financial information could result in significant regulatory penalties under standards such as PCI DSS and GDPR requirements. The vulnerability's presence in the AJAX handling mechanism also means that attacks could be executed through normal administrative workflows, making detection more challenging for security monitoring systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9305 should focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.5.2 or later, which contain proper input validation and parameterized query implementations. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including input sanitization at multiple layers, proper parameterization of database queries, and comprehensive monitoring of AJAX endpoint activities. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts, while regular security audits should verify that all WordPress plugins maintain current security patches. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper secure coding practices and input validation, particularly when handling user-supplied data in database operations. Security teams should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls to limit the potential damage from authenticated attacks, and maintain regular vulnerability scanning to identify similar issues in other plugins or custom code implementations. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for ongoing security maintenance and the importance of keeping all software components updated to address known security weaknesses.