CVE-2024-12404 is an SQL Injection vulnerability identified in the CF Internal Link Shortcode plugin for WordPress, present in all versions up to and including 1.1.0. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements in the 'post_title' parameter, which is user-supplied and insufficiently escaped before being incorporated into SQL queries. This lack of proper input validation and query preparation allows unauthenticated attackers to append arbitrary SQL commands to existing queries. As a result, attackers can extract sensitive information from the underlying database, such as user data, credentials, or other confidential content stored within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, increasing its exploitability. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 reflects a high severity, with a vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high confidentiality impact but no integrity or availability impact. No patches or updates have been linked yet, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability represents a critical risk for affected installations. The plugin’s widespread use in WordPress sites makes this a significant concern for website administrators and security teams.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12404 is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information from the WordPress database due to SQL Injection. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can retrieve confidential data such as user credentials, personal information, or site configuration details, potentially leading to further attacks like account takeover or privilege escalation. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction and is exploitable remotely over the network, it poses a substantial risk to websites using the vulnerable plugin. While the vulnerability does not directly affect data integrity or availability, the exposure of sensitive data can have severe reputational and regulatory consequences for organizations. This risk is particularly acute for businesses relying on WordPress for e-commerce, content management, or customer data storage. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests the window for proactive mitigation is still open, but the ease of exploitation means attackers could develop exploits rapidly once the vulnerability is publicly known.

1. Immediately disable the CF Internal Link Shortcode plugin on all WordPress sites until a secure patch or update is available. 2. Monitor the vendor’s official channels for security updates or patches addressing CVE-2024-12404 and apply them promptly once released. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL Injection attempts targeting the 'post_title' parameter, focusing on suspicious payload patterns such as SQL syntax or comment characters. 4. Conduct thorough code reviews and input validation enhancements if maintaining a custom or forked version of the plugin, ensuring all user inputs are properly sanitized and parameterized queries are used. 5. Regularly audit WordPress installations for outdated or vulnerable plugins and remove any unnecessary or unmaintained plugins. 6. Employ database access controls and least privilege principles to limit the potential damage from SQL Injection attacks. 7. Monitor logs for unusual database query patterns or error messages indicative of attempted exploitation. 8. Educate site administrators about the risks of installing plugins from unverified sources and the importance of timely updates.