CVE-2024-13500
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher to perform time-based SQL injection attacks via the 'orderby' parameter in the WP Project Manager plugin. Attackers can extract sensitive information from the database by injecting malicious SQL queries. All WordPress sites using vulnerable versions of this plugin are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- WP Project Manager – Task, team, and project management plugin for WordPress
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including extraction of user credentials, sensitive business data, and potential privilege escalation leading to full site takeover.
Likely Case
Extraction of sensitive plugin data, user information, and potentially WordPress configuration details that could enable further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited data exposure if proper input validation and query parameterization are implemented, with minimal impact on overall site security.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but uses common SQL injection techniques. Time-based blind SQL injection makes detection more difficult.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.6.18
Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3239348/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
3. Find 'WP Project Manager'
4. Click 'Update Now' if update is available
5. Alternatively, download version 2.6.18+ from WordPress plugin repository
6. Deactivate old version and upload new version via FTP if needed
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allTemporarily deactivate the WP Project Manager plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate wedevs-project-manager
Restrict user roles
allLimit Subscriber and higher role assignments to trusted users only
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection patterns in orderby parameters
- Restrict database user permissions to SELECT only for plugin tables
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins → Installed Plugins. If version is 2.6.17 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get wedevs-project-manager --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 2.6.18 or higher. Check WordPress plugin update history for successful update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual database query patterns with ORDER BY clauses
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by plugin-specific requests
- Long-running database queries from plugin endpoints
Network Indicators:
- Repeated requests to /wp-json/pm/v2/projects or similar endpoints with varying orderby parameters
- Suspicious timing patterns in HTTP responses
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND "orderby" AND ("SLEEP" OR "BENCHMARK" OR "WAITFOR")