CVE-2017-20249: Apptha Slider Gallery SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2017-20249 Overview

CVE-2017-20249 is an SQL injection vulnerability [CWE-89] in Apptha Slider Gallery 1.0, a WordPress plugin. The flaw resides in the albid parameter, which is passed directly into a database query without proper sanitization or parameterization. Unauthenticated attackers can craft GET requests containing malicious SQL payloads to manipulate backend queries. Successful exploitation enables extraction of sensitive database contents, including WordPress user credentials and password hashes. The vulnerability requires no authentication, no user interaction, and is exploitable over the network.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can extract WordPress administrator credentials and authentication hashes through crafted SQL payloads in the albid parameter, leading to full site compromise.

Affected Products

Apptha Slider Gallery WordPress Plugin version 1.0
WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin version
Any deployment exposing the affected albid parameter endpoint

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-09 - CVE-2017-20249 published to NVD
2026-06-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2017-20249

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command [CWE-89]. The Apptha Slider Gallery plugin accepts the albid HTTP GET parameter and concatenates its value directly into an SQL query. No prepared statements, parameter binding, or input sanitization are applied before the query reaches the database engine.

Attackers can break out of the intended query context using SQL metacharacters. Standard techniques such as UNION-based extraction and boolean-based blind injection are viable against the endpoint. The query executes with the database privileges assigned to the WordPress application user.

Because the plugin runs within WordPress, the database contains the wp_users table holding usernames, email addresses, and user_pass hashes. Extracted hashes can be subjected to offline cracking to recover plaintext administrator passwords. Recovered credentials grant administrative access to the WordPress instance and the underlying server through plugin or theme editor abuse.

Root Cause

The root cause is a missing input validation layer between the HTTP request parser and the SQL query construction routine. The albid parameter is treated as a trusted integer when it can contain arbitrary attacker-controlled strings. WordPress provides $wpdb->prepare() and esc_sql() helpers, neither of which is applied in the vulnerable code path.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is performed remotely over HTTP or HTTPS against a public-facing WordPress site running the plugin. The attacker issues a GET request to the vulnerable endpoint and appends an SQL payload to the albid query string parameter. A typical payload uses a UNION SELECT statement to merge attacker-chosen columns into the legitimate result set, returning credential hashes from wp_users in the HTTP response body. Public proof-of-concept code is documented in Exploit-DB entry 41567 and the VulnCheck WordPress Advisory.

No verified code examples are reproduced here. Refer to the linked advisories for payload structure.

Detection Methods for CVE-2017-20249

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP GET requests targeting plugin endpoints containing the albid parameter with SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or CONCAT
Unusual web server access log entries with URL-encoded SQL metacharacters (%27, %20OR%20, --) against Apptha Slider Gallery paths
Database query logs showing UNION SELECT statements referencing wp_users or user_pass columns
Outbound authentication failures or successful admin logins from unfamiliar IP addresses shortly after suspicious GET requests

Detection Strategies

Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) ruleset that inspects query string parameters for SQL injection signatures, specifically the albid parameter
Enable WordPress debug logging and database query logging to capture anomalous SELECT statements against authentication tables
Correlate web access logs with WordPress audit logs to identify credential extraction followed by administrator session creation
Hunt historical logs for the string albid= paired with single quotes, comment markers, or SQL keywords

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on any HTTP request to plugin paths where parameter values contain non-numeric characters when an integer is expected
Monitor for spikes in 200-response HTTP traffic to the plugin endpoint, which can indicate successful blind extraction loops
Track new WordPress administrator account creation and unexpected privilege changes following plugin endpoint access

How to Mitigate CVE-2017-20249

Immediate Actions Required

Remove or deactivate the Apptha Slider Gallery 1.0 plugin from all WordPress installations until a verified patched version is confirmed
Rotate all WordPress user passwords and invalidate active sessions, as credential hashes may already be compromised
Audit administrator accounts for unauthorized additions and review installed plugins and themes for backdoors
Apply WAF rules blocking SQL injection patterns against the albid parameter as a temporary compensating control

Patch Information

No vendor patch is referenced in the available CVE data. Consult the Apptha website and the VulnCheck WordPress Advisory for vendor updates. Where no patched release is available, plugin removal is the recommended remediation.

Workarounds

Restrict access to the plugin endpoint at the web server level using IP allowlists for administrative use cases
Place the WordPress site behind a WAF with managed SQL injection rule sets enabled in blocking mode
Apply database-level least privilege by ensuring the WordPress database user lacks FILE and unnecessary cross-schema permissions
Replace the plugin with an actively maintained gallery alternative that follows WordPress secure coding practices

bash

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking SQLi patterns in the albid parameter
SecRule ARGS:albid "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1002017,\
     phase:2,\
     deny,\
     status:403,\
     msg:'CVE-2017-20249 Apptha Slider Gallery SQLi attempt',\
     logdata:'Matched Data: %{MATCHED_VAR} in %{MATCHED_VAR_NAME}'"