CVE-2024-2879: LayerSlider WordPress Plugin SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-2879 Overview

The LayerSlider plugin for WordPress contains a critical SQL Injection vulnerability in the ls_get_popup_markup action. This vulnerability exists in versions 7.9.11 and 7.10.0 due to insufficient escaping of user-supplied parameters and inadequate preparation of existing SQL queries. Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this flaw to append malicious SQL queries to legitimate database operations, enabling extraction of sensitive information from the WordPress database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data from WordPress databases, including user credentials, personally identifiable information, and site configuration details without any authentication required.

Affected Products

• Kreaturamedia LayerSlider version 7.9.11 for WordPress
• Kreaturamedia LayerSlider version 7.10.0 for WordPress

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-04-03 - CVE-2024-2879 published to NVD
• 2025-03-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-2879

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability in the LayerSlider WordPress plugin stems from improper handling of user input in the ls_get_popup_markup AJAX action. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The flaw allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to manipulate database queries through a network-based attack vector that requires no user interaction or special privileges.

The impact is primarily focused on confidentiality, as successful exploitation allows attackers to read arbitrary data from the database. The vulnerability does not directly enable modification of data or denial of service conditions, though extracted credentials could facilitate further attacks.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is twofold: insufficient escaping of user-supplied input parameters and lack of proper SQL query preparation using parameterized queries or prepared statements. The ls_get_popup_markup action fails to properly sanitize input before incorporating it into SQL queries, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL syntax that alters the intended query logic.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed remotely over the network through the WordPress AJAX handler. Attackers can send specially crafted requests to the ls_get_popup_markup action endpoint without requiring authentication. By manipulating the vulnerable parameter, attackers can inject additional SQL clauses that modify the query behavior, enabling techniques such as UNION-based injection or time-based blind SQL injection to exfiltrate database contents.

The vulnerability allows appending SQL queries to existing legitimate queries. An attacker could leverage this to extract sensitive information including WordPress user credentials, email addresses, configuration data, and any other information stored in the database. Given that WordPress databases typically contain authentication hashes, successful exploitation could lead to complete site compromise through credential theft.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-2879

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to WordPress AJAX endpoints containing the ls_get_popup_markup action
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION SELECT statements or conditional time delays
• Web server access logs with SQL injection patterns in request parameters (e.g., single quotes, UNION keywords, comment sequences)
• Unexpected database read operations or elevated query response times indicating blind SQL injection attempts

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in requests to WordPress AJAX handlers
• Monitor WordPress admin-ajax.php requests for the ls_get_popup_markup action with suspicious parameter values
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access attempts
• Review web server logs for requests containing common SQL injection payloads targeting the LayerSlider plugin

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for WordPress AJAX requests and review for injection attempts
• Configure alerting for database queries that deviate from expected patterns or return unusually large result sets
• Monitor for mass data exfiltration attempts that may indicate successful exploitation
• Track plugin version inventory across WordPress installations to identify vulnerable LayerSlider deployments

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-2879

Immediate Actions Required

• Update LayerSlider plugin immediately to a patched version (versions after 7.10.0)
• Review database access logs for signs of exploitation or unauthorized data access
• If exploitation is suspected, rotate all WordPress user passwords and review for unauthorized accounts
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts while patching is in progress

Patch Information

Kreaturamedia has addressed this vulnerability in versions following 7.10.0. Administrators should update to the latest available version of LayerSlider through the WordPress plugin management interface or by downloading directly from the vendor. For detailed release information, refer to the LayerSlider Release Log. Additional vulnerability details are available in the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the LayerSlider plugin until an update can be applied if patching is not immediately possible
• Implement strict WAF rules to filter SQL injection patterns targeting WordPress AJAX endpoints
• Restrict access to admin-ajax.php where feasible, though this may impact legitimate plugin functionality
• Consider using database user accounts with minimal privileges for WordPress to limit potential impact of SQL injection

# Verify current LayerSlider version in WordPress
wp plugin list --name=layerslider --fields=name,version,status

# Update LayerSlider to latest version via WP-CLI
wp plugin update layerslider

# Check for suspicious entries in access logs
grep -i "ls_get_popup_markup" /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep -iE "(union|select|--|'|%27)"