CVE-2016-10921 in gallery-photo-gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The gallery-photo-gallery plugin before 1.0.1 for WordPress has SQL injection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10921 affects the gallery-photo-gallery plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 1.0.1, presenting a critical security flaw that exposes systems to unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. This issue falls under the category of SQL injection vulnerabilities, which represent one of the most prevalent and dangerous attack vectors in web applications. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the plugin's database interaction mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands through user-controllable parameters. The affected plugin processes user inputs without adequate filtering or escaping, creating an environment where attackers can manipulate database queries to extract sensitive information, modify data, or even execute administrative commands.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. When the gallery-photo-gallery plugin receives user input through its interface or API endpoints, it fails to properly sanitize or escape these inputs before incorporating them into SQL queries. This allows attackers to craft malicious input sequences that can alter the intended behavior of database operations, potentially leading to complete database compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used content management system platform, where plugins often have elevated privileges and access to sensitive data. Attackers can exploit this weakness to retrieve administrative credentials, user information, or other confidential data stored in the WordPress database, potentially leading to full system compromise and persistent access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent backdoors, modify website content, or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The attack surface is particularly broad since WordPress installations often contain sensitive information including user credentials, business data, and potentially personal information of website visitors. Organizations running affected versions of this plugin face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. The vulnerability can be exploited through various vectors including web application interfaces, API endpoints, or even automated scanning tools that specifically target known WordPress plugin vulnerabilities. This makes the attack surface particularly attractive to both automated malware campaigns and targeted attacks by sophisticated threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.1 or later, which contain the necessary security patches to prevent SQL injection attacks. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected plugin across their WordPress installations and ensure all users are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, deploying input validation rules at multiple layers of the application architecture, and conducting regular security audits of plugin installations. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts, including database query logging and anomaly detection systems. The remediation process should extend beyond simple patching to include comprehensive security reviews of all installed plugins, as many vulnerable plugins may exist in legacy systems. Security teams must also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security training for administrators to prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, and T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS, as attackers may use DNS queries to exfiltrate data from compromised systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing robust input validation practices across all application layers.