CVE-2024-10540 in Appointment Booking Calendar Plugin and Scheduling Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2024
The Appointment Booking Calendar Plugin and Scheduling Plugin – BookingPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'service' parameter of the bookingpress_form shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.16 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 Subscriber-level access and above, 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 • 11/02/2024
The CVE-2024-10540 vulnerability affects the BookingPress plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting the Appointment Booking Calendar Plugin and Scheduling Plugin versions up to 1.1.16. This security flaw resides within the bookingpress_form shortcode implementation where the 'service' parameter fails to undergo proper input sanitization. The vulnerability represents a classic SQL injection weakness that allows malicious actors with subscriber-level privileges or higher to manipulate database queries through crafted input. The flaw stems from inadequate escaping of user-supplied parameters combined with insufficient preparation of existing SQL queries, creating an exploitable path for unauthorized data access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the 'service' parameter within the bookingpress_form shortcode functionality. Attackers can append malicious SQL fragments to existing queries, enabling them to extract sensitive information from the underlying database without requiring administrative privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. The weakness allows for data extraction attacks where unauthorized users can potentially access user credentials, personal information, and other database contents that should remain protected. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only subscriber-level access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have varying permission levels.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-10540 extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the compromised WordPress environment. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges, modify database entries, or even gain access to other system components through the extracted information. The vulnerability's presence in widely-used scheduling plugins means that numerous WordPress sites could be at risk, particularly those that rely on booking systems for business operations. Organizations using BookingPress plugin versions 1.1.16 and earlier face potential exposure of customer booking data, personal information, and potentially sensitive business records stored in the database.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the BookingPress plugin to version 1.1.17 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Administrators should also implement network-level protections including firewall rules that monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious queries. Database access controls should be reviewed to ensure that the WordPress database user account has minimal required permissions, following the principle of least privilege. Additionally, monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities and implement proper input validation mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocol and T1566 for credential access, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat posed by such SQL injection flaws. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to prevent similar issues from emerging in other components of the WordPress ecosystem.