CVE-2019-14314 in Imagely NextGEN Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
A SQL injection vulnerability exists in the Imagely NextGEN Gallery plugin before 3.2.10 for WordPress. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability would allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the affected system via modules/nextgen_gallery_display/package.module.nextgen_gallery_display.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2023
The CVE-2019-14314 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Imagely NextGEN Gallery WordPress plugin, affecting versions prior to 3.2.10. This vulnerability resides in the package.module.nextgen_gallery_display.php file, which processes user input through the gallery display functionality. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands into the application's database layer, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation and underlying database infrastructure. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the gallery display module, creating an entry point for attackers to manipulate database queries through crafted malicious input parameters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard SQL injection attack patterns where malicious SQL payloads are injected into input fields that are subsequently processed by the vulnerable script. The package.module.nextgen_gallery_display.php file fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries, enabling attackers to manipulate the execution flow of SQL commands. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89, which classifies SQL injection as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization. The attack vector leverages the plugin's gallery display functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal user interaction with gallery pages.
From an operational impact perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2019-14314 could result in complete database compromise, data exfiltration, and potential system takeover. Attackers could extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and administrative access details stored within the WordPress database. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers do not require local system access or authentication to exploit the flaw, making it particularly attractive for automated attacks. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol manipulation, and T1046, covering network service scanning, as attackers may first enumerate the system to identify vulnerable installations before exploiting the SQL injection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14314 center around immediate plugin updates to version 3.2.10 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block SQL injection patterns, input validation at multiple layers, and regular security auditing of WordPress plugins. Database access controls should be implemented to limit the privileges of the database user account used by WordPress, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely updates across all WordPress installations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping content management systems and their plugins updated, as unpatched vulnerabilities remain prime targets for automated exploitation tools and malicious actors seeking to compromise web applications.