Unauthenticated SQL Injection in Creative Mail WordPress Plugin

Executive Summary

This is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability in the Creative Mail WordPress plugin versions 1.6.5 to 1.6.9. The plugin fails to sanitize and escape a parameter before using it in an SQL statement, specifically when managing abandoned cart emails. An attacker can send a crafted request to trigger malicious SQL commands without needing authentication.

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Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, send a crafted POST request to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with a parameter that triggers a time delay if SQL injection is possible. Example using curl: curl -X POST -d 'action=creative_mail_abandoned_cart&param=1 AND (SELECT * FROM (SELECT(SLEEP(5)))a)' http://target-site.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php. If the response is delayed by 5 seconds, the vulnerability likely exists.

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Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to extract sensitive data from your WordPress database, such as user credentials, personal information, or other confidential data. Since no authentication is required, any website using the vulnerable plugin versions is at immediate risk of compromise.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access and exposure of personal data, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and security. Organizations may face legal penalties, fines, and reputational damage if exploited.

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update the Creative Mail plugin to the latest version beyond 1.6.9. If an update is unavailable, disable the plugin or restrict access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php via server rules. Monitor for suspicious database queries or unusual delays in responses.

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