Description
WordPress plugin Contact Form CFDB7 versions up to and including 1.3.2 are affected by a pre-authentication SQL injection vulnerability that cascades into insecure deserialization (PHP Object Injection). The weakness arises due to insufficient validation of user input in plugin endpoints, allowing crafted input to influence backend queries in unexpected ways. Using specially crafted payloads, this can escalate into unsafe deserialization, enabling arbitrary object injection in PHP. Although the issue is remotely exploitable without authentication, it does require a crafted interaction with the affected endpoint in order to trigger successfully.
EPSS Score:
0%
Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2025-36574
1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation
The vulnerability EUVD-2025-36574 affects the WordPress plugin Contact Form CFDB7 versions up to and including 1.3.2. It is classified as a pre-authentication SQL injection vulnerability that can lead to insecure deserialization (PHP Object Injection). The severity of this vulnerability is rated with a CVSS Base Score of 9.6, which is considered critical. The CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H indicates the following:
- Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) - The vulnerability is exploitable over the network.
- Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) - The attack requires minimal complexity.
- Privileges Required (PR): None (N) - No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
- User Interaction (UI): Required (R) - User interaction is required to trigger the vulnerability.
- Scope (S): Changed (C) - The vulnerability affects a different security scope.
- Confidentiality (C): High (H) - The vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality.
- Integrity (I): High (H) - The vulnerability has a high impact on integrity.
- Availability (A): High (H) - The vulnerability has a high impact on availability.
2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods
The primary attack vector involves crafting malicious input to exploit the SQL injection vulnerability in the plugin's endpoints. This can be achieved through:
- SQL Injection: By injecting malicious SQL queries into the input fields, an attacker can manipulate the backend database queries.
- PHP Object Injection: The SQL injection can be leveraged to inject serialized PHP objects, leading to insecure deserialization. This can result in arbitrary code execution if the deserialized objects contain malicious payloads.
Exploitation methods include:
- Crafted Payloads: Attackers can create specially crafted payloads that exploit the lack of input validation to inject SQL commands and serialized PHP objects.
- Remote Exploitation: Since the vulnerability is pre-authentication, attackers can exploit it remotely without needing to authenticate.
3. Affected Systems and Software Versions
The vulnerability affects:
- WordPress Plugin: Contact Form CFDB7
- Versions: All versions up to and including 1.3.2
Users of WordPress sites that have this plugin installed and are running any of the affected versions are at risk.
4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies
To mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability, the following strategies are recommended:
- Update the Plugin: Immediately update the Contact Form CFDB7 plugin to a version higher than 1.3.2 if an update is available.
- Input Validation: Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all user inputs to prevent SQL injection and PHP object injection.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF to monitor and block malicious traffic targeting the vulnerable endpoints.
- Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits and code reviews to identify and fix similar vulnerabilities.
- Disable Unnecessary Features: Disable any unnecessary features or endpoints in the plugin to reduce the attack surface.
5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape
The impact of this vulnerability on the European cybersecurity landscape is significant due to the widespread use of WordPress and its plugins. Key concerns include:
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the database.
- Service Disruption: Potential disruption of services due to unauthorized modifications or deletions.
- Compliance Issues: Non-compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR, leading to legal and financial repercussions.
- Reputation Damage: Loss of trust and reputation for organizations affected by the vulnerability.
6. Technical Details for Security Professionals
For security professionals, the following technical details are crucial:
- Vulnerable Endpoints: Identify and monitor the specific endpoints in the Contact Form CFDB7 plugin that are vulnerable to SQL injection.
- Payload Analysis: Analyze the structure of crafted payloads used in SQL injection and PHP object injection attacks to develop detection and prevention mechanisms.
- Logging and Monitoring: Implement comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect and respond to suspicious activities targeting the vulnerable endpoints.
- Patch Management: Ensure that patch management processes are in place to quickly apply updates and patches for known vulnerabilities.
- Code Review: Conduct thorough code reviews to identify and fix input validation and sanitization issues in the plugin code.
By addressing these points, organizations can significantly reduce the risk posed by this vulnerability and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.
References
This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the vulnerability, its impact, and the necessary steps to mitigate the risks effectively.