CVE-2023-28663 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE involves an authenticated SQL injection vulnerability in the Formidable PRO2PDF WordPress Plugin, affecting versions prior to 3.11. The vulnerability is specifically found in the 'fieldmap' parameter in the fpropdf_export_file action.

Understanding CVE-2023-28663

This section delves into the details of CVE-2023-28663, highlighting the vulnerability's impact, technical aspects, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-28663?

CVE-2023-28663 is a security flaw identified in the Formidable PRO2PDF WordPress Plugin, allowing authenticated users to inject SQL queries via the 'fieldmap' parameter in the fpropdf_export_file action. This injection can lead to unauthorized access to the WordPress site's database.

The Impact of CVE-2023-28663

The vulnerability potentially enables attackers to manipulate the database, extract sensitive information, modify data, or even execute further malicious actions within the WordPress environment. This could compromise the site's integrity and expose critical data to unauthorized parties.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-28663

In this section, we explore the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The authenticated SQL injection vulnerability in the Formidable PRO2PDF WordPress Plugin, versions prior to 3.11, allows attackers with authenticated access to inject malicious SQL queries through the 'fieldmap' parameter.

Affected Systems and Versions

The Formidable PRO2PDF WordPress Plugin versions lower than 3.11 are impacted by this CVE. Sites running these specific versions are susceptible to the authenticated SQL injection vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit CVE-2023-28663, an authenticated user needs to manipulate the 'fieldmap' parameter in the fpropdf_export_file action by injecting crafted SQL queries. Through this injection, the attacker can bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access to the database.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section discusses immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of applying patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Site administrators should immediately update the Formidable PRO2PDF WordPress Plugin to version 3.11 or higher to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring user inputs, restricting access privileges, and implementing web application firewalls can help enhance security.

Long-Term Security Practices

Maintaining regular security audits, conducting penetration testing, educating users on secure practices, and staying informed about security updates are essential for safeguarding WordPress sites against potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring official security advisories and promptly applying patches and updates provided by the plugin developers is crucial to addressing vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-28663. Keeping all software components up-to-date helps in fortifying the overall security posture of WordPress installations.