CVE-2022-29410 in Hermit Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/28/2022
Authenticated SQL Injection (SQLi) vulnerability in Mufeng's Hermit ????? plugin
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2022
The CVE-2022-29410 vulnerability represents a critical authenticated SQL injection flaw discovered within Mufeng's Hermit plugin, a widely used WordPress theme component that provides various customization options and features for website administrators. This vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of user input within database query operations, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database system. The issue arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, particularly in functions that process data submitted through authenticated administrative interfaces.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid authentication credentials for a user account with sufficient privileges within the WordPress environment, typically an administrator or editor role. Once authenticated, the malicious user can manipulate specific parameters within the plugin's administrative forms or API endpoints to inject malicious SQL payloads. The flaw manifests when the plugin fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied input before incorporating it into database queries, allowing attackers to bypass normal security controls and potentially execute commands with the privileges of the database user account. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, which is classified as a high-severity issue in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog and is consistently ranked among the top cybersecurity risks by organizations such as OWASP.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain complete control over the affected WordPress installation's database. Attackers might extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and confidential website content, while also potentially modifying or deleting database records. The vulnerability could facilitate further attacks by providing attackers with access to the WordPress database, which often contains additional sensitive information such as plugin configurations, theme settings, and potentially other interconnected systems. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers must first compromise a valid user account, but once achieved, they can perform extensive database manipulation without detection, as the malicious queries would appear to originate from legitimate administrative activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-29410 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin version, as developers typically release security updates to address such vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block common SQL injection patterns, though these should not be considered primary defenses given the authenticated nature of the exploit. Access control measures including role-based permissions, multi-factor authentication, and regular credential rotation help minimize the attack surface by reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access to administrative accounts. Security monitoring should include database query logging and anomaly detection to identify suspicious patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, with particular attention to unusual data access patterns or query execution sequences. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability maps to the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol usage and T1566.001 for credential access through exploitation of software vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for both preventive and detective security controls to address the threat effectively.