CVE-2017-12977 in Photo Gallery by WD - Responsive Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
The Web-Dorado "Photo Gallery by WD - Responsive Photo Gallery" plugin before 1.3.51 for WordPress has a SQL injection vulnerability related to bwg_edit_tag() in photo-gallery.php and edit_tag() in admin/controllers/BWGControllerTags_bwg.php. It is exploitable by administrators via the tag_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
The CVE-2017-12977 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Web-Dorado Photo Gallery plugin for WordPress, affecting versions prior to 1.3.51. This vulnerability resides in the administrative functionality of the plugin, specifically within the bwg_edit_tag() function in photo-gallery.php and the edit_tag() function in admin/controllers/BWGControllerTags_bwg.php. The flaw allows authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands through the tag_id parameter, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations using this plugin. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages administrative privileges, meaning that an attacker who has gained access to an administrator account can exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges or extract sensitive data from the database.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic SQL injection pattern where user input from the tag_id parameter is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. When an administrator performs operations related to tag management within the plugin's administrative interface, the tag_id value is processed through the vulnerable functions, allowing malicious input to be interpreted as part of the SQL command rather than as data. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89 as SQL injection, which represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The attack vector requires administrative access, making it a privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by attackers who have already compromised an administrative account or by those who can manipulate administrative credentials through other means.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12977 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the entire photo gallery database structure. An attacker could potentially extract all gallery metadata, user information, and other sensitive data stored within the WordPress database. Additionally, the vulnerability could enable attackers to modify or delete gallery content, alter user permissions, or even inject malicious code that could be executed within the context of the WordPress application. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts and T1566.001 which involves phishing with malicious attachments or links, as it represents a path for attackers who have already gained administrative access to escalate their privileges within the WordPress environment. The plugin's administrative interface becomes a vector for database compromise, potentially leading to full system compromise if the WordPress installation contains other vulnerable components or if the database credentials are used elsewhere.
Organizations using the affected plugin versions should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched version 1.3.51 or later, which addresses the SQL injection vulnerability through proper input validation and parameterized queries. System administrators should also conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other potentially vulnerable plugins or themes that may be susceptible to similar attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices for content management systems, as outdated plugins represent one of the most common attack vectors for web applications. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual administrative activities and database access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices such as input validation, parameterized queries, and least privilege principles when developing WordPress plugins and themes.