CVE-2023-47530 is a high-severity SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) found in the WordPress plugin 'Redirect 404 Error Page to Homepage or Custom Page with Logs' developed by WPVibes. This plugin is designed to redirect users encountering 404 errors to either the homepage or a custom page, while logging these events. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands, allowing an attacker with high privileges (PR:H) to inject malicious SQL code remotely (AV:N) without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.6, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality (C:H), no impact on integrity (I:N), and low impact on availability (A:L). Exploitation requires authenticated access, which limits the attacker to users with some level of privilege on the WordPress site. However, once exploited, the attacker can potentially extract sensitive data from the backend database, leading to confidentiality breaches. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 1.8.7 of the plugin. Given the plugin’s role in handling 404 redirects and logging, the injected SQL commands could manipulate or exfiltrate log data or other database contents. The vulnerability’s presence in a widely used CMS plugin increases the risk of targeted attacks, especially against sites that do not restrict plugin access or do not have strong authentication controls.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites using WordPress with the affected WPVibes plugin installed. The potential impact includes unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored in the database, such as user data, configuration details, or logs, which could lead to privacy violations under GDPR. The confidentiality breach could damage organizational reputation and result in regulatory penalties. Since exploitation requires authenticated access, insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, the scope change means that attackers might access data beyond the plugin’s immediate context, potentially affecting other parts of the website or backend systems. The low impact on availability suggests that denial-of-service is less likely, but data confidentiality is the primary concern. Organizations relying on this plugin for error handling and logging should be aware that attackers might manipulate logs to cover tracks or escalate attacks. This vulnerability could be exploited in targeted attacks against European entities with valuable data or high-profile websites, especially those with less stringent access controls or outdated plugin versions.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the 'Redirect 404 Error Page to Homepage or Custom Page with Logs' plugin. If found, they should upgrade to a patched version once available or temporarily disable the plugin to mitigate risk. Implement strict access controls and limit plugin management permissions to trusted administrators only to reduce the risk of exploitation requiring authentication. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting this plugin’s endpoints. Regularly monitor and analyze logs for suspicious activities indicative of SQL injection attempts or unauthorized access. Conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focusing on plugins that handle database queries. Additionally, enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users with plugin access. Backup website data frequently and ensure backups are stored securely to enable recovery in case of compromise. Finally, stay informed through vendor advisories and security communities for updates or patches related to this vulnerability.