CVE-2022-0439 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A critical blind SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in the Email Subscribers & Newsletters WordPress plugin before version 5.3.2. Attackers with roles as low as Subscriber can exploit this flaw to launch SQL injection attacks. Additionally, the plugin lacks CSRF protection, allowing attackers to manipulate logged-in users.

Understanding CVE-2022-0439

This CVE entry details a severe security vulnerability in the Email Subscribers & Newsletters plugin that could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data through SQL injection.

What is CVE-2022-0439?

The CVE-2022-0439 vulnerability in the Email Subscribers & Newsletters WordPress plugin allows users with low-level roles to execute blind SQL injection attacks. Furthermore, the plugin lacks CSRF protection, enabling attackers to deceive logged-in users into performing malicious actions.

The Impact of CVE-2022-0439

The impact of CVE-2022-0439 is significant, as it exposes sensitive information to unauthorized parties and allows attackers to manipulate the behavior of logged-in users through SQL injection, posing a severe threat to website security.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-0439

This section provides specific technical details about the vulnerability, affected systems, and how the exploitation occurs.

Vulnerability Description

The Email Subscribers & Newsletters plugin before version 5.3.2 fails to properly sanitize the

order

and

orderby

parameters in the

ajax_fetch_report_list

action, leading to blind SQL injection vulnerabilities. Additionally, it lacks CSRF protection, making it susceptible to Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Email Subscribers & Newsletters plugin versions prior to 5.3.2.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the vulnerable parameters, executing SQL injection attacks, and potentially gaining unauthorized access to the database.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2022-0439, immediate steps should be taken, followed by the implementation of long-term security practices and timely patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Email Subscribers & Newsletters plugin to version 5.3.2 or higher immediately.
Limit user privileges to minimize the impact of potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit user input to prevent injection attacks.
Educate users on best practices to recognize and avoid phishing attempts.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates for plugins and perform timely updates to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.