CVE-2015-9313 in NewStatPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The newstatpress plugin before 1.0.5 for WordPress has SQL injection related to an IMG element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2023
The CVE-2015-9313 vulnerability affects the newstatpress plugin version 1.0.4 and earlier in the WordPress ecosystem, representing a critical SQL injection flaw that poses significant risks to WordPress installations. This vulnerability specifically manifests through improper handling of user input within an IMG element, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. The flaw resides in how the plugin processes image-related data, particularly when parsing IMG element attributes that contain user-supplied parameters. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious IMG tags with specially formatted parameters that bypass normal input validation mechanisms, ultimately leading to unauthorized database access and potential data compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection flaws as weaknesses that occur when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. This specific implementation flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices within the plugin's codebase, where IMG element attributes containing potentially malicious data are processed without adequate security controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, targeting the database backend through the WordPress plugin architecture, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browser interactions. The attack requires minimal prerequisites since it leverages existing IMG element functionality within web pages, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-9313 extends beyond simple data theft, potentially enabling complete database compromise, user credential theft, and unauthorized administrative access to WordPress installations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user accounts, configuration details, and content management data. The exploitation process typically involves injecting malicious SQL payloads through IMG element parameters that are then processed by the vulnerable plugin, potentially allowing attackers to perform unauthorized database operations such as data modification, deletion, or unauthorized data retrieval. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress sites using the newstatpress plugin, making it a significant concern for website administrators who have not updated to version 1.0.5 or later, which contains the necessary security patches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9313 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.5 or later, which addresses the SQL injection vulnerability through proper input sanitization and parameterized query implementation. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns, input validation controls that filter IMG element parameters, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing defense-in-depth strategies. Organizations should also consider implementing database query monitoring to detect unusual SQL activity patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and establish regular vulnerability scanning procedures to identify similar weaknesses in other installed plugins or themes.