CVE-2022-4151 in Contest Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2022
The Contest Gallery WordPress plugin before 19.1.5.1, Contest Gallery Pro WordPress plugin before 19.1.5.1 do not escape the option_id GET parameter before concatenating it to an SQL query in export-images-data.php. This may allow malicious users with at least author privilege to leak sensitive information from the site's database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4151 affects the Contest Gallery and Contest Gallery Pro WordPress plugins, specifically versions prior to 19.1.5.1. This issue represents a classic sql injection weakness that exploits improper input validation within the plugin's export functionality. The vulnerability resides in the export-images-data.php file where the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape the option_id parameter received through the GET request before incorporating it into an sql query structure. This oversight creates a significant security gap that malicious actors can exploit to gain unauthorized access to database information.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper input sanitization where the option_id parameter from user-supplied GET requests is directly concatenated into sql queries without appropriate escaping or parameterization. This pattern directly aligns with CWE-89 which defines sql injection vulnerabilities occurring when untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper validation or escaping. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only author-level privileges to exploit, making it accessible to users who may not have administrative access but still possess the ability to modify content and interact with plugin features. Attackers can leverage this weakness to construct malicious sql queries that manipulate the database structure or extract sensitive information from the underlying mysql database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to extract potentially sensitive data from the wordpress site's database. This includes but is not limited to user credentials, personal information, plugin configurations, and other database contents that may contain confidential business or user data. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the wordpress installation, potentially enabling further attacks such as privilege escalation, data manipulation, or even complete system compromise if additional vulnerabilities exist. The fact that this requires only author privileges makes it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have content management capabilities, as it could be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-4151 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to versions 19.1.5.1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input sanitization and parameterization of sql queries. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as restricting access to plugin functionality for users with lower privileges, monitoring for unusual data export activities, and ensuring that proper access controls are in place for all wordpress plugin features. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and defense evasion, as attackers may use the extracted information to further compromise the system or hide their activities. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be implemented to prevent similar issues in other custom plugin development, ensuring that all user-supplied data undergoes proper sanitization before database interactions occur.