CVE-2023-0631 in Paid Memberships Pro Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2023
The Paid Memberships Pro WordPress plugin before 2.9.12 does not prevent subscribers from rendering shortcodes that concatenate attributes directly into an SQL query.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/31/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0631 affects the Paid Memberships Pro WordPress plugin version 2.9.11 and earlier, representing a critical SQL injection weakness that directly impacts the plugin's security posture. This flaw exists within the plugin's handling of shortcode attributes, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization practices that allow malicious actors to manipulate shortcode parameters and inject arbitrary SQL commands through the plugin's subscription rendering functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when subscribers access pages or content that utilize shortcodes containing user-controllable attributes. The plugin fails to implement proper parameterized queries or input sanitization mechanisms, enabling attackers to concatenate malicious attributes directly into SQL statements. This creates a path for attackers to execute unauthorized database operations including data extraction, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's shortcode processing system where attribute values are directly interpolated into SQL queries without adequate escaping or validation. According to CWE classification, this represents a variant of CWE-89 SQL Injection, which is categorized under the broader weakness of improper input validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0631 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive subscriber information including membership details, payment records, and user credentials. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment, potentially gaining administrative control over the affected site. The vulnerability affects all users who have access to the plugin's shortcode functionality, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where subscribers may not be trusted. This weakness could be exploited in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to create more severe attack vectors, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts for privilege escalation and lateral movement within compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0631 require immediate action including updating the Paid Memberships Pro plugin to version 2.9.12 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SQL injection vulnerability. Organizations should implement additional security measures such as input validation at multiple layers, including web application firewalls and database query monitoring. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, with particular attention to any plugin that handles user input in database operations. The fix implemented in version 2.9.12 likely includes proper parameterized query construction and attribute sanitization to prevent direct SQL injection attacks. System administrators should also consider implementing least privilege principles for plugin functionality and regularly review user permissions to minimize potential attack surface.