CVE-2022-42984 is a critical SQL injection vulnerability identified in the WoWonder Social Network Platform version 4.1.4. The vulnerability exists in the 'offset' parameter of the 'requests.php' script when accessed with the query parameters 'f=search&s=recipients'. An attacker can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious SQL code through the 'offset' parameter, which is not properly sanitized or validated. This allows the attacker to manipulate backend database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or deletion. Given the CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, the vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The impact includes full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system's data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), a common and severe class of injection flaws. No official patches or vendor advisories are listed, indicating that organizations using this platform may remain exposed unless mitigations are applied manually or through updates. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the ease of exploitation and critical severity make this a high-risk vulnerability that demands immediate attention.

For European organizations using the WoWonder Social Network Platform, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive user data, including personal information and private communications, which would violate GDPR and other data protection regulations, potentially resulting in severe legal and financial penalties. The integrity of social network data could be compromised, damaging trust and brand reputation. Availability could also be affected if attackers execute destructive SQL commands or cause database corruption, leading to service outages. Given the nature of social networking platforms, the impact extends to end users and connected third parties, amplifying the potential damage. Organizations operating in sectors with strict compliance requirements or handling large volumes of personal data are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the lack of authentication and user interaction requirements means that attackers can automate exploitation attempts, increasing the likelihood of successful attacks.

European organizations should prioritize the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Immediately audit and identify all instances of WoWonder Social Network Platform version 4.1.4 in their environment. 2) If an official patch or update becomes available, apply it without delay. 3) In the absence of a vendor patch, implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious SQL injection payloads targeting the 'offset' parameter in 'requests.php'. 4) Conduct input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied parameters, especially 'offset', to ensure only expected numeric values are accepted. 5) Employ parameterized queries or prepared statements in the backend code to prevent SQL injection. 6) Monitor logs for unusual database query patterns or repeated access attempts to the vulnerable endpoint. 7) Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of a successful injection. 8) Consider isolating or temporarily disabling the vulnerable functionality if immediate remediation is not feasible. 9) Educate development and security teams about secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.