CVE-2024-39620: Cridio Listingpro SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-39620 Overview

CVE-2024-39620 is a SQL injection vulnerability in the CridioStudio ListingPro plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.9.4. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands [CWE-89]. Authenticated attackers with low privileges can inject arbitrary SQL statements into backend database queries over the network. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying WordPress database.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can extract sensitive database contents, modify records, or disrupt site operations by injecting SQL through vulnerable ListingPro plugin endpoints.

Affected Products

CridioStudio ListingPro plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 2.9.4
WordPress sites running the listingpro-plugin component
Deployments identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:cridio:listingpro:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*

Discovery Timeline

2024-08-29 - CVE-2024-39620 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-39620

Vulnerability Analysis

The ListingPro plugin fails to properly sanitize or parameterize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. An authenticated user can submit crafted input through a vulnerable request parameter. The plugin passes this input directly to the WordPress database layer, allowing SQL syntax to break out of the intended query context. This enables union-based, boolean-based, or time-based SQL injection techniques against the WordPress database.

Because ListingPro is a directory listing plugin, the affected code paths likely process listing search, filter, or submission parameters. Exploitation grants read and write access to any table accessible to the WordPress database user, including wp_users and wp_options. Attackers can extract password hashes, session tokens, and administrative secrets stored in options tables.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands [CWE-89]. The plugin does not use WordPress prepared statement helpers such as $wpdb->prepare() with placeholders, or it uses them incorrectly. User-controlled data is concatenated into query strings without escaping quotes, comment sequences, or SQL operators.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress site and low-privilege authentication. No user interaction is needed. The attacker sends an HTTP request containing SQL metacharacters in a parameter processed by the vulnerable ListingPro endpoint. The vulnerability manifests server-side when the plugin executes the injected query. Refer to the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability advisory for additional technical context.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for this issue.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-39620

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to ListingPro plugin endpoints containing SQL syntax such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, --, or encoded single quotes (%27)
Unexpected outbound queries or long-running database queries originating from PHP worker processes serving WordPress
New or modified administrator accounts in wp_users that do not correspond to legitimate provisioning
Modifications to sensitive rows in wp_options, particularly siteurl, home, or active_plugins

Detection Strategies

Review WordPress access logs for POST and GET requests to listingpro-plugin paths containing SQL keywords or tautologies like OR 1=1
Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily to correlate application requests with suspicious query patterns
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection signatures tuned for WordPress plugin endpoints
Monitor authentication logs for low-privilege accounts issuing high volumes of requests to plugin endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on repeated 500-series HTTP errors from ListingPro endpoints, which often indicate injection probing
Track database user activity for unusual INFORMATION_SCHEMA reads that suggest schema enumeration
Baseline normal ListingPro request patterns and flag deviations in parameter length or character composition

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-39620

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade the ListingPro plugin to a version newer than 2.9.4 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release
Restrict registration and low-privilege account creation on affected WordPress sites until patched
Rotate all WordPress administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if compromise is suspected
Audit the wp_users and wp_options tables for unauthorized changes

Patch Information

Refer to the Patchstack advisory for ListingPro for the current patch status. Site operators should confirm the installed plugin version and apply the vendor-supplied update. If no fixed version is available, consider disabling the plugin.

Workarounds

Deploy a WAF rule that blocks SQL metacharacters in requests to ListingPro plugin URLs
Temporarily deactivate the ListingPro plugin if a patched version is not yet installed
Enforce least privilege on the WordPress database user by removing unnecessary FILE, CREATE, or DROP grants
Enable two-factor authentication on all WordPress accounts to raise the cost of obtaining the low-privilege access required for exploitation

bash

# Configuration example: disable the plugin via WP-CLI until patched
wp plugin deactivate listingpro-plugin
wp plugin status listingpro-plugin