CVE-2023-2032
📋 TL;DR
The Custom 404 Pro WordPress plugin before version 3.8.1 contains SQL injection vulnerabilities due to improper input sanitization. Attackers can execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially compromising WordPress sites running vulnerable versions. This affects all WordPress installations using the vulnerable plugin.
💻 Affected Systems
- Custom 404 Pro WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
Custom 404 Pro by Kunalnagar
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise leading to data theft, privilege escalation, site takeover, or remote code execution via database functions.
Likely Case
Data extraction from WordPress database including user credentials, sensitive content, and configuration data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if database user has minimal privileges and input validation is enforced elsewhere.
🎯 Exploit Status
SQL injection vulnerabilities are well-understood and often weaponized quickly. WordPress plugins are common targets.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 3.8.1
Vendor Advisory: https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/17acde5d-44ea-4e77-8670-260d22e28ffe
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find Custom 404 Pro. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 3.8.1+ from WordPress repository and replace plugin files.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily deactivate the vulnerable plugin until patching is possible.
wp plugin deactivate custom-404-pro
Web Application Firewall
allImplement WAF rules to block SQL injection patterns targeting this plugin.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and parameterized queries at application level
- Restrict database user permissions to SELECT only where possible
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins > Installed Plugins. Look for Custom 404 Pro version number.Check Version:
wp plugin get custom-404-pro --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm plugin version is 3.8.1 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual database queries in WordPress debug logs
- Multiple failed login attempts following unusual SQL patterns
- wp-content/plugins/custom-404-pro/ access logs showing injection attempts
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL keywords (SELECT, UNION, etc.) targeting plugin endpoints
- Unusual traffic to /wp-content/plugins/custom-404-pro/
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND "custom-404-pro" AND ("SELECT" OR "UNION" OR "INSERT" OR "DELETE")