CVE-2018-1002000 in Arigato Autoresponder
Summary
by MITRE
There is blind SQL injection in WordPress Arigato Autoresponder and Newsletter v2.5.1.8 These vulnerabilities require administrative privileges to exploit. There is an exploitable blind SQL injection vulnerability via the del_ids variable by POST request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1002000 represents a critical blind sql injection flaw within the WordPress Arigato Autoresponder and Newsletter plugin version 2.5.1.8. This security weakness exists in the plugin's handling of user input through the del_ids parameter within post requests. The vulnerability is classified as a blind sql injection due to its characteristic behavior where the attacker cannot directly observe the sql query results but can infer information through indirect means such as response timing or conditional responses. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which specifically addresses sql injection flaws in software applications.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires administrative privileges, indicating that an attacker must first gain access to an administrative account or find another vector to escalate privileges. This prerequisite significantly limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely, as administrative accounts may be compromised through various means including credential theft, social engineering, or other related vulnerabilities. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin processes the del_ids variable through a post request, failing to properly sanitize or validate the input before incorporating it into sql queries. This lack of proper input validation creates an opening for malicious actors to inject sql commands that can manipulate the database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows an authenticated attacker with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary sql commands against the affected WordPress database. This capability enables the attacker to extract sensitive information from the database, modify existing records, insert new data, or even delete critical information. The blind nature of the injection means that the attacker must rely on indirect methods to determine if their injection was successful, potentially requiring multiple attempts and increasing the time needed for exploitation. The vulnerability specifically targets the del_ids parameter, suggesting that the plugin's delete functionality is where the injection occurs, potentially affecting the management of subscribers or newsletter data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 2.5.1.9 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement proper input validation and sanitization measures for all user-supplied data, particularly when it is used in database queries. The principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the scope of potential damage from compromised administrative accounts. Additional security measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious sql injection patterns, conducting regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring database access logs for unusual activities. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including credential access and privilege escalation, as well as defense evasion through the manipulation of database contents to avoid detection. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts to reduce the risk of unauthorized access that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability.