CVE-2022-0651 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A critical vulnerability in the WP Statistics WordPress plugin allows attackers to perform SQL Injection attacks without authentication, leading to sensitive data exposure.

Understanding CVE-2022-20657

This CVE-2022-0651 impacts WP Statistics plugin versions up to and including 13.1.5.

What is CVE-2022-20657?

The vulnerability arises from insufficient escaping and parameterization of the current_page_type parameter in the class-wp-statistics-hits.php file, enabling unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary SQL queries.

The Impact of CVE-2022-20657

With a CVSS base score of 9.8, this critical vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-20657

The technical details include:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to perform blind SQL Injection attacks through the current_page_type parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

WP Statistics plugin versions up to and including 13.1.5 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the lack of proper input validation in the current_page_type parameter to inject malicious SQL queries.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2022-0651, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the WP Statistics plugin to version 13.1.6 or newer to address the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Maintain regular security audits and monitoring to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and promptly apply patches to ensure the security of your WordPress installations.