CVE-2022-0826
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on WordPress sites using the WP Video Gallery plugin. It affects all WordPress installations with the plugin version 1.7.1 or earlier, potentially leading to data theft, manipulation, or site compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- WP Video Gallery WordPress plugin
📦 What is this software?
Wp Video Gallery Free by Wp Video Gallery Free Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise, including sensitive data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or remote code execution via SQL injection.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to or modification of plugin-related data, such as video metadata or user information stored in the database.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if the plugin is disabled or patched, but residual risk if other vulnerabilities exist.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation is straightforward due to lack of input sanitization and unauthenticated access via AJAX actions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.7.2 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/7a3eed3b-c643-4e24-b833-eba60ab631c5
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find WP Video Gallery and update to version 1.7.2 or later. 4. Verify the update completes successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable the plugin
allTemporarily deactivate the WP Video Gallery plugin to prevent exploitation until patching is possible.
wp plugin deactivate wp-video-gallery
Restrict AJAX access
linuxUse a web application firewall (WAF) or .htaccess rules to block unauthorized access to the vulnerable AJAX endpoint.
# Example .htaccess rule: Deny from all for specific AJAX path
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable the WP Video Gallery plugin immediately to eliminate the attack surface.
- Implement network segmentation and strict access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable system.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins > Installed Plugins; if WP Video Gallery is version 1.7.1 or earlier, it is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get wp-video-gallery --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, confirm the plugin version is 1.7.2 or later in the WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries or errors in WordPress or database logs related to the wp_video_gallery table or AJAX actions.
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with parameters indicative of SQL injection attempts.
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND "admin-ajax.php" AND ("wp_video_gallery" OR "sql" OR "injection")