Super Store Finder is a popular plugin for WordPress websites that allows users to easily locate stores within a certain geographic area. The plugin has been downloaded over 10,000 times and is actively used by many businesses to guide their customers to their nearest store locations. Unfortunately, all versions of the plugin up to and including version 7. are vulnerable to SQL Injection attacks via the 'ssf_wp_user_name' parameter, making it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious code and exploit the website.

In this blog post, we'll delve into the technical details of this vulnerability, provide a code snippet showcasing the issue, and offer guidance on how to address the security risk.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability exists in the 'ssf_wp_user_name' parameter that Super Store Finder accepts from users. Due to insufficient escaping on the user-supplied parameter and improper preparation of existing SQL queries, the plugin falls prey to SQL Injection attacks.

This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to append additional SQL queries within an already existing query and, essentially, gain control over the targeted website's database. Additionally, a particularly malicious attacker can store cross-site scripting (XSS) payloads within store reviews. This could potentially compromise the website's security and allow the attacker to collect sensitive user data.

Code Snippet

The following code snippet highlights the vulnerable code in the Super Store Finder plugin (ssf-wp/functions/ssf-wp-functions.php, line 75):

$user_name = $_POST['ssf_wp_user_name'];

$query = "INSERT INTO ".$wpdb->prefix."ssf_wp_custom_search (ssf_wp_user_name, ...) VALUES ('$user_name', ...)";

As demonstrated in the code snippet, the plugin accepts the 'ssf_wp_user_name' parameter directly from users without proper escaping or sanitization. This allows attackers to insert malicious SQL queries within the existing query and execute them against the website's database.

Exploit Examples & Original References

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker could simply craft an HTTP POST request with a malformed 'ssf_wp_user_name' parameter, including SQL commands and potentially even XSS payloads. For more technical information and examples on how to exploit this issue, kindly refer to the following resources:

1. CVE-2024-13440 Official Description
2. WPScan Vulnerability Details and Exploit Guidance

Mitigation Steps

The immediate solution to this vulnerability is to update the Super Store Finder plugin to its latest version. At the time of writing this post, the plugin's developers have not released a patch for this issue, so we strongly recommend that users disable or remove this plugin from their WordPress installations until a patched version is available.

In addition, website administrators should enforce stringent input validation and sanitization policies in all user-supplied data to prevent SQL Injection attacks. Furthermore, employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can help mitigate the risk of executing XSS payloads on your website.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-13440 highlights the dangers of neglecting proper validation and escaping of user input in web applications. This SQL Injection vulnerability in the Super Store Finder plugin for WordPress serves as a reminder for developers to prioritize security in their coding practices and for website admins to stay vigilant in updating plugins to the latest, secured versions. By doing so, you'll protect your website and its visitors from devastating attacks and preserve the integrity of your online presence.

Timeline

Published on: 02/09/2025 05:15:22 UTC
Last modified on: 02/13/2025 17:17:19 UTC