CVE-2024-56053: WPLMS Plugin SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-56053 Overview

CVE-2024-56053 is a SQL injection vulnerability in the VibeThemes WPLMS plugin for WordPress. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands [CWE-89]. It affects all WPLMS versions up to and including 1.9.9.5.3. An authenticated attacker with instructor-level privileges can inject arbitrary SQL statements through unsanitized input passed to database queries. Successful exploitation allows extraction of sensitive data from the WordPress database, modification of stored records, and impact to database availability. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network with low attack complexity and requires low-privileged authentication.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, exposing user credentials, personally identifiable information, and course data managed by the learning management system.

Affected Products

• VibeThemes WPLMS (WordPress Learning Management System) plugin
• All versions from initial release through 1.9.9.5.3
• WordPress sites running the wplms_plugin component

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-18 - CVE-2024-56053 published to NVD
• 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-56053

Vulnerability Analysis

The WPLMS plugin exposes an instructor-facing endpoint that constructs SQL statements using attacker-controlled input without proper sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerability class is SQL Injection [CWE-89], caused by concatenating request parameters directly into database query strings. Because WPLMS runs inside WordPress, injected queries execute with the privileges of the WordPress database user, which typically has full read and write access to the site schema.

An attacker holding an instructor account, which WPLMS environments often provision liberally to enable content authors, can leverage the flaw to enumerate the wp_users and wp_usermeta tables. This exposes password hashes, session tokens, and administrative metadata. Chained with credential-cracking or session-reuse techniques, the vulnerability provides a path to full site compromise.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing use of prepared statements or $wpdb->prepare() when handling instructor-supplied parameters within WPLMS plugin code. User input flows into SQL string concatenation without escaping through esc_sql() or type coercion, permitting injection of quote characters, UNION SELECT clauses, and stacked query fragments.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires an authenticated instructor session on a WordPress site running a vulnerable WPLMS version. The attacker submits a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable instructor endpoint, embedding SQL metacharacters in a parameter that reaches the database layer. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own request. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for endpoint-level technical details.

// No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available.
// Refer to the Patchstack advisory for parameter-level detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-56053

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to WPLMS instructor endpoints containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION, SELECT, SLEEP(, or information_schema
• Unexpected wp_users or wp_usermeta read patterns in MySQL general or slow query logs
• New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created outside change-management windows
• Sudden spikes in database response times tied to instructor-role session cookies

Detection Strategies

• Enable WordPress database query logging and alert on queries originating from WPLMS handlers that reference system tables
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set with SQL injection signatures scoped to the WPLMS plugin URL paths
• Correlate authenticated instructor session activity with anomalous outbound data volumes

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward web server access logs and MySQL audit logs to a centralized analytics platform for retention and query
• Baseline normal instructor request patterns and alert on deviations in parameter length, character class, and request frequency
• Monitor WordPress role changes and administrator additions in near real time

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-56053

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade WPLMS to a version later than 1.9.9.5.3 as soon as the vendor patch is available
• Audit all instructor accounts and revoke access for unknown or dormant users
• Rotate WordPress administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if instructor accounts show suspicious activity
• Review database contents for unauthorized modifications, particularly in wp_users and wp_options

Patch Information

VibeThemes addresses the issue in WPLMS releases after 1.9.9.5.3. Site operators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the fixed version and apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager.

Workarounds

• Restrict the instructor role to a small set of trusted, verified users until the patch is applied
• Deploy WAF rules that block SQL metacharacters in requests to WPLMS instructor endpoints
• Enforce least-privilege on the WordPress MySQL user by removing FILE, CREATE USER, and SUPER privileges where not required
• Enable two-factor authentication for all WordPress accounts holding instructor or higher roles

# Example WAF rule pattern (ModSecurity) - adapt to your environment
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" \
  "chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1005603,msg:'WPLMS SQLi attempt'"
  SecRule ARGS "@rx (?i)(union(\s|/\*.*\*/)+select|information_schema|sleep\s*\(|--\s)" \
    "t:none,t:urlDecodeUni"