CVE-2024-55985 Overview
CVE-2024-55985 is a SQL Injection vulnerability in the Ydesignservices YDS Support Ticket System plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions of the yds-support-ticket-system plugin up to and including version 1.0. Attackers with low-privilege authenticated access can inject arbitrary SQL commands through unsanitized input passed to database queries. The vulnerability maps to CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. Successful exploitation exposes ticket data, WordPress user records, and other database contents.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can extract sensitive database contents, including user credentials and support ticket records, through crafted SQL payloads.
Affected Products
- Ydesignservices YDS Support Ticket System plugin for WordPress
- All versions from initial release through 1.0 (inclusive)
- WordPress sites running the yds-support-ticket-system plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-18 - CVE-2024-55985 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-55985
Vulnerability Analysis
The YDS Support Ticket System plugin fails to properly neutralize special characters in SQL statements. User-supplied input flows into database queries without parameterization or escaping. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can manipulate query logic by injecting SQL syntax through plugin request parameters. The scope change indicates that a successful attack impacts resources beyond the vulnerable component, extending to the underlying WordPress database. Impact is concentrated on data confidentiality, with additional availability risk from destructive queries.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input sanitization and the absence of prepared statements in database access code. The plugin concatenates request parameters directly into SQL queries executed against the WordPress wpdb layer. Without $wpdb->prepare() or equivalent parameter binding, attacker-controlled strings are interpreted as query syntax rather than literal values.
Attack Vector
Exploitation occurs over the network against WordPress sites that expose the vulnerable plugin endpoints. The attacker must hold an authenticated account, though privilege requirements are low, meaning subscriber-level or ticket-user accounts are sufficient. No user interaction is required. Attackers typically probe plugin parameters with tautology payloads, UNION-based selects, or time-based blind injection techniques to extract data such as password hashes from wp_users.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-55985
Indicators of Compromise
- Web server access logs containing SQL syntax such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, OR 1=1, or information_schema in requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or plugin routes referencing yds-support-ticket-system.
- Unusual database query errors in PHP or MySQL logs referencing plugin tables.
- Authenticated sessions from low-privilege accounts issuing repeated requests to ticket endpoints with anomalous parameter lengths.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor WordPress request logs for parameter values containing SQL keywords, quote characters, or comment sequences (--, #, /*).
- Correlate authenticated user activity with database query volume spikes and slow-query log entries.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) ruleset that identifies SQL injection patterns against plugin URIs.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily on suspected hosts to capture injected payloads.
- Alert on outbound data transfer anomalies from the WordPress database host that may indicate bulk data extraction.
- Track file-integrity changes to plugin PHP files that could indicate persistence following exploitation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-55985
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the YDS Support Ticket System plugin until a patched version is confirmed available from the vendor.
- Rotate WordPress administrator and database credentials if the plugin has been active on internet-facing installations.
- Audit wp_users, wp_usermeta, and plugin tables for unauthorized modifications or new administrator accounts.
Patch Information
No vendor patch is referenced in the available advisory data. The vulnerability affects the plugin through version 1.0 with no fixed release listed. Monitor the Patchstack advisory for updates on a patched release.
Workarounds
- Uninstall the plugin and migrate ticket workflows to a maintained alternative until a fix is issued.
- Restrict access to WordPress registration and low-privilege account creation to reduce the pool of accounts that can reach the vulnerable endpoints.
- Deploy WAF virtual patching rules that block SQL metacharacters in requests targeting yds-support-ticket-system routes.
- Apply least-privilege database user configuration for WordPress so the plugin cannot read beyond required tables.
# Configuration example: disable the plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate yds-support-ticket-system
wp plugin delete yds-support-ticket-system
# Optional WAF block pattern (ModSecurity syntax)
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains yds-support-ticket-system" \
"phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1055985,msg:'Block CVE-2024-55985 SQLi attempts'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
