CVE-2022-1950 in Youzify Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/01/2022
The Youzify WordPress plugin before 1.2.0 does not sanitise and escape a parameter before using it in a SQL statement via an AJAX action available to unauthenticated users, leading to an unauthenticated SQL injection
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1950 affects the Youzify WordPress plugin version 1.2.0 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the plugin's codebase, specifically within an AJAX action endpoint that is publicly accessible without authentication requirements. The vulnerability resides in the plugin's handling of user-supplied parameters that are directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms, creating a direct pathway for SQL injection attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the plugin's AJAX handler which processes incoming requests from unauthenticated users. When a malicious actor submits a specially crafted request containing malicious SQL payload within a parameter, the plugin fails to sanitize this input before incorporating it into database queries. This flaw maps directly to CWE-89, which classifies improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command, and represents a classic example of SQL injection vulnerability that can be exploited without requiring any valid user credentials or authentication. The AJAX endpoint serves as the attack vector because it lacks proper access controls and input validation, making it an ideal target for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for any WordPress installation utilizing the affected Youzify plugin version. An unauthenticated attacker can leverage this SQL injection flaw to extract sensitive data from the database, including user credentials, personal information, and administrative details. The vulnerability enables potential data manipulation, allowing attackers to modify or delete database records, which could lead to complete compromise of the affected WordPress site. Additionally, successful exploitation could provide attackers with the ability to escalate privileges, execute arbitrary code, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised system. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1190 for exploit public-facing application, as it exploits a publicly accessible web application interface to gain unauthorized database access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1950 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.2.0 or later, which contain the necessary security patches addressing the sanitization and escaping issues. System administrators should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns in real-time. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting access to AJAX endpoints and implementing proper input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins and themes, while maintaining comprehensive logging of database access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing database-level protections including query parameterization and privilege separation to minimize the potential impact of any remaining vulnerabilities in the system.