CVE-2016-10949 in Relevanssi Premium Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The Relevanssi Premium plugin before 1.14.6.1 for WordPress has SQL injection with resultant unsafe unserialization.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The CVE-2016-10949 vulnerability affects the Relevanssi Premium plugin for WordPress, a popular search enhancement tool that improves site search functionality. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 1.14.6.1 and represents a critical security flaw that combines SQL injection with unsafe unserialization, creating a particularly dangerous attack vector for WordPress installations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the plugin's search functionality, which processes user-supplied data without proper security measures.
The technical flaw manifests when the plugin handles search queries that contain maliciously crafted SQL injection payloads. These payloads exploit weaknesses in the plugin's database interaction code, allowing attackers to manipulate database queries and potentially extract sensitive information. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it not only enables SQL injection but also leads to unsafe unserialization of data. When user input is processed through the search functionality, it gets passed to unserialize functions that do not properly validate or sanitize the data before deserialization, creating opportunities for remote code execution attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with potential paths to gain full administrative control over affected WordPress sites. Attackers can leverage the SQL injection component to extract database credentials, user information, and other sensitive data stored within the WordPress installation. The unsafe unserialization aspect amplifies this risk by potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server, depending on the PHP configuration and available classes that can be instantiated during the deserialization process. This combination creates a multi-stage attack capability that can escalate privileges and compromise entire WordPress installations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately update to Relevanssi Premium version 1.14.6.1 or later, as this release includes patches that address both the SQL injection and unsafe unserialization issues. The fix typically involves implementing proper input validation, parameterized queries for database interactions, and secure serialization practices that prevent malicious data from being processed during unserialization. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious search query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 for SQL injection and CWE-502 for unsafe deserialization, and represents a technique that could be mapped to ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and defense evasion through the use of legitimate system tools for malicious purposes.