Critical SQL Injection Flaw Discovered in ELEX WooCommerce Plugin 1.4.3

Critical SQL Injection Vulnerability Identified in ELEX WooCommerce Plugin

Security researchers have disclosed a severe SQL injection (SQLi) vulnerability in ELEX WooCommerce WordPress Plugin version 1.4.3, which could allow attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries on vulnerable e-commerce websites. The flaw, tracked under Exploit-DB ID 52430, poses a significant risk to WordPress sites utilizing the affected plugin.

Technical Details

The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and lack of prepared statements in the plugin’s code, enabling unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL queries via crafted HTTP requests. Successful exploitation could lead to:

• Unauthorized database access
• Theft of sensitive customer data (e.g., payment details, PII)
• Full site compromise via database manipulation

At the time of disclosure, no CVE ID has been assigned to this flaw. However, the exploit has been published on Exploit-DB, increasing the urgency for mitigation.

Impact Analysis

ELEX WooCommerce Plugin is widely used to enhance e-commerce functionality on WordPress sites, including payment processing, shipping calculations, and order management. A successful SQLi attack could result in:

• Data breaches exposing customer records
• Regulatory penalties under GDPR, CCPA, or other data protection laws
• Reputational damage and loss of customer trust
• Financial fraud if payment data is compromised

Recommendations

Security teams and WordPress administrators are urged to take immediate action:

1. Update the plugin: Verify if a patched version (post-1.4.3) is available from the vendor and apply it without delay.
2. Disable the plugin: If no patch exists, temporarily disable the plugin until a fix is released.
3. Monitor for exploitation: Review web server logs for suspicious SQLi patterns (e.g., unusual query strings, UNION-based attacks).
4. Implement WAF rules: Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block SQLi attempts targeting the vulnerable endpoint.
5. Audit database access: Check for unauthorized queries or modifications in database logs.

For further details, refer to the original exploit proof-of-concept on Exploit-DB.

Stay vigilant: Unpatched WordPress plugins remain a prime target for attackers exploiting known vulnerabilities.