CVE-2024-49299 Overview
CVE-2024-49299 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the Surfer SEO WordPress plugin (surferseo). The flaw exists in all plugin versions up to and including 1.5.0.502. Attackers with high privileges can inject arbitrary SQL statements into database queries through improperly neutralized input. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-89], Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. Exploitation allows disclosure of sensitive database contents and can affect additional components beyond the vulnerable plugin due to a changed security scope.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker with high privileges can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, leading to confidentiality loss and potential impact on other components sharing the database backend.
Affected Products
- Surfer SEO WordPress Plugin (surferseo) versions up to and including 1.5.0.502
- WordPress installations with the Surfer SEO plugin enabled
- Sites relying on the plugin for SEO content optimization workflows
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-17 - CVE-2024-49299 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-49299
Vulnerability Analysis
The Surfer SEO plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This omission enables an attacker with authenticated high-privilege access to inject crafted SQL fragments into query strings. The scope change indicated in the vulnerability metadata means successful exploitation can affect resources beyond the plugin's own security boundary, such as other data stored in the shared WordPress database.
Because the attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction, exploitation can be automated once valid high-privilege credentials are obtained. The primary consequence is confidentiality loss, with additional low-level availability impact on the affected database.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special SQL metacharacters in one or more query paths within the plugin. Parameters passed from plugin endpoints are concatenated into SQL statements without parameterized queries or the WordPress $wpdb->prepare() API, allowing attacker-controlled input to alter query structure.
Attack Vector
An authenticated user with elevated privileges submits crafted input to a vulnerable plugin endpoint. The input is inserted into a SQL statement executed against the WordPress database. The attacker uses standard SQL injection techniques such as UNION-based extraction, boolean-based blind inference, or time-based blind inference to read data from arbitrary tables, including wp_users and wp_usermeta.
No public proof-of-concept exploit or exploit database entry is currently associated with this CVE. See the Patchstack WordPress Plugin Advisory for technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-49299
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual SQL query patterns in database logs containing UNION SELECT, sleep functions, or information_schema references originating from plugin request handlers
- HTTP requests to Surfer SEO plugin endpoints containing encoded SQL metacharacters such as %27, %22, or --
- Unexpected outbound queries to wp_users or wp_options tables from plugin-associated PHP processes
Detection Strategies
- Enable WordPress database query logging and review queries generated by the surferseo plugin for anomalous structure
- Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection signatures tuned for WordPress plugin endpoints
- Correlate authenticated administrator sessions with database read volumes to identify data exfiltration attempts
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor administrator and editor account activity for unexpected access to plugin configuration pages
- Alert on spikes in plugin-generated database queries or response sizes indicating bulk data extraction
- Track plugin version inventory across WordPress deployments to identify unpatched instances of surferseo at or below 1.5.0.502
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-49299
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Surfer SEO plugin to a version above 1.5.0.502 as soon as a fixed release is available
- Audit WordPress administrator and editor accounts and rotate credentials for any account with plugin access
- Restrict administrative access to trusted IP ranges through server configuration or WAF policy
Patch Information
Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Plugin Advisory for the current patch status and vendor guidance. Site administrators should verify the installed plugin version and apply the vendor-released update once published.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Surfer SEO plugin until a patched version is installed if the plugin is not business critical
- Apply virtual patching through a web application firewall to block SQL injection payloads targeting plugin endpoints
- Enforce least privilege on WordPress accounts and require multi-factor authentication for all high-privilege users
# Example: temporarily deactivate the surferseo plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate surferseo
# Verify installed plugin version
wp plugin get surferseo --field=version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
