CVE-2024-12276 is a second-order SQL Injection vulnerability found in the Ultimate Member WordPress plugin, which provides user profile, registration, login, member directory, content restriction, and membership functionalities. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 2.9.2 due to insufficient escaping of user-supplied filename parameters in SQL queries. Specifically, when filenames are managed or uploaded—often through integration with third-party file management plugins—an authenticated attacker with low privileges can manipulate these filenames to inject malicious SQL code. This injection occurs because the plugin fails to properly prepare or sanitize the SQL statements before execution, allowing appended queries to be executed. This can lead to unauthorized extraction of sensitive information from the database, such as user data or configuration details. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). Exploitation requires the attacker to have authenticated access with the ability to upload or rename files, which limits the attack surface. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting network attack vector, high attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality but no impact on integrity or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to sites using this plugin without mitigation or patching.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12276 is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data stored in the WordPress database, which may include user credentials, personal information, and site configuration details. This can lead to privacy violations, compliance issues, and potential further attacks leveraging exposed data. Since the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or availability, it does not directly enable data modification or denial of service. However, the ability to extract sensitive information can facilitate subsequent attacks such as privilege escalation or targeted phishing. Organizations running websites with the Ultimate Member plugin are at risk, especially if they allow authenticated users to upload or manage files. The medium severity rating reflects the limited attack vector requiring authentication and file management capabilities, but the potential confidentiality breach is significant. If exploited at scale, this vulnerability could impact a large number of WordPress sites globally, undermining trust and exposing user data.

To mitigate CVE-2024-12276, organizations should immediately update the Ultimate Member plugin to a patched version once available. In the absence of a patch, restrict file upload and filename management capabilities to highly trusted users only, and disable or limit third-party file management plugins that allow filename manipulation. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns targeting the plugin's endpoints. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on filenames before they are processed or stored. Monitor database query logs for anomalous or unexpected queries that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, enforce the principle of least privilege for user roles to minimize the number of users who can upload or rename files. Regularly audit plugin usage and user permissions to reduce exposure. Backup databases frequently to ensure recovery in case of compromise. Finally, consider deploying database activity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized data extraction.