CVE-2023-5663 in News Announcement Scroll Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2024
The News Announcement Scroll plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the plugin's shortcode in versions up to, and including, 9.0.0 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with contributor-level and above permissions to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2026
The News Announcement Scroll plugin for WordPress presents a critical security vulnerability classified as CVE-2023-5663, affecting versions up to and including 9.0.0. This vulnerability manifests as a SQL Injection flaw within the plugin's shortcode functionality, creating a significant risk for WordPress installations that utilize this particular plugin. The vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the plugin's codebase, specifically in how it handles user-supplied parameters. Attackers exploiting this weakness can manipulate the plugin's behavior through crafted shortcode parameters that bypass normal security measures. The flaw is particularly concerning because it requires only contributor-level privileges or higher to exploit, making it accessible to users who already have some level of administrative access to the WordPress system. This reduced privilege requirement significantly increases the attack surface and potential impact of the vulnerability. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89 which represents SQL Injection, a well-documented weakness that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the database backend. This classification places the vulnerability within the broader context of database security risks that have been consistently identified as critical threats in cybersecurity frameworks. The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to manipulate database queries in ways that can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the entire WordPress installation. The SQL Injection vulnerability allows for the extraction of sensitive information including user credentials, configuration data, and potentially other database contents that may contain confidential information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges within the WordPress environment, potentially gaining access to administrative functions or other restricted areas of the system. The lack of proper SQL query preparation and parameterization means that the plugin fails to implement industry-standard protections against malicious input. This vulnerability can be exploited through the plugin's shortcode functionality, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious SQL code. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates within the legitimate plugin functionality, making it harder to detect through standard security monitoring. The vulnerability affects not just individual installations but can potentially compromise entire WordPress networks if multiple sites use the same vulnerable plugin version. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their overall risk assessment, particularly when evaluating their WordPress security posture and incident response capabilities. The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the use of prepared statements or parameterized queries in database interactions. This weakness highlights the need for regular security updates and vulnerability assessments of third-party WordPress plugins, as many organizations rely on these plugins without sufficient security scrutiny. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of principle of least privilege, where user permissions should be carefully controlled to limit potential damage from compromised accounts. Security professionals should implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual database query patterns that might indicate SQL Injection attempts. The vulnerability represents a failure in the software development lifecycle where security testing and code review processes did not identify the insufficient escaping and preparation of SQL queries. This oversight demonstrates the critical importance of integrating security practices early in the development process rather than treating security as an afterthought. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability immediately and conduct thorough security reviews of all installed plugins to identify similar weaknesses that could be exploited by threat actors. The vulnerability also highlights the need for better security education and awareness among developers and system administrators about the risks associated with improper input handling and database query construction. This particular vulnerability could be addressed through proper implementation of prepared statements, input sanitization, and parameterized queries to prevent malicious SQL code from being executed within the database context. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in complete database compromise, potentially leading to full system takeover or data exfiltration. Security teams should consider implementing web application firewalls or other protective measures to detect and block SQL Injection attempts targeting this specific plugin. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor functionality within WordPress plugins can present significant security risks when proper security practices are not implemented. Organizations should maintain updated inventories of all installed plugins and their versions to quickly identify and remediate such vulnerabilities across their infrastructure. This vulnerability also emphasizes the importance of regular security audits and penetration testing to identify weaknesses that may not be immediately apparent through standard security monitoring. The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate technical concerns to include potential compliance and regulatory implications, particularly for organizations handling sensitive data. Proper remediation requires not just patching the vulnerable plugin but also implementing broader security controls to prevent similar issues in other software components. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing need for security vendors and developers to prioritize security in their software development practices and to maintain active security monitoring of their products. This particular vulnerability also illustrates the importance of maintaining updated threat intelligence and security advisories to stay informed about emerging risks in the WordPress ecosystem. Organizations should consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure that security updates are applied promptly across their WordPress installations. The vulnerability's existence also highlights the critical role of security researchers and the vulnerability disclosure process in identifying and remedying security weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Proper vulnerability management includes not just applying patches but also understanding the broader context of how such vulnerabilities can be leveraged in combination with other security weaknesses within the same system. The technical flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in secure coding practices that should be addressed through comprehensive security training and code review processes. This vulnerability serves as a case study in how inadequate security controls in third-party software can create cascading effects that compromise entire WordPress environments and potentially lead to significant business disruption. The remediation process should include not just applying the patch but also reviewing and updating security policies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.