CVE-2023-3435 in User Activity Log Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2023
The User Activity Log WordPress plugin before 1.6.5 does not correctly sanitise and escape several parameters before using it in a SQL statement as part of its exportation feature, allowing unauthenticated attackers to conduct SQL injection attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3435 affects the User Activity Log WordPress plugin version 1.6.4 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through improper input validation in the plugin's exportation functionality. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities by manipulating parameters within the plugin's export feature, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation and underlying database infrastructure.
The technical exploitation occurs through the plugin's failure to properly sanitise and escape user-supplied parameters before incorporating them into SQL queries during export operations. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89 which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL code into input fields that are then processed by database servers. The lack of proper parameter sanitisation creates an attack surface where malicious actors can inject arbitrary SQL commands, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data, modifying database contents, or even executing administrative operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it allows attackers to escalate privileges and potentially compromise the entire WordPress environment. Unauthenticated access to SQL injection capabilities means that attackers do not need valid user credentials to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible WordPress installations. The attack surface includes not only the exportation feature but potentially other plugin functions that may utilize similar parameter handling patterns, creating a broader security concern for systems running vulnerable versions.
Security professionals should immediately upgrade to version 1.6.5 or later of the User Activity Log plugin to remediate this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewalls, input validation controls, and regular security audits of all installed WordPress plugins. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting database communication protocols through injection attacks. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls should be implemented to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual database query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.