CVE-2024-13322 is a high-severity SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the Ads Pro Plugin - Multi-Purpose WordPress Advertising Manager developed by scripteo. This plugin is widely used to manage advertising content on WordPress websites. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 4.88 due to improper neutralization of special elements in the 'a_id' parameter. Specifically, the plugin fails to properly escape or prepare SQL queries involving this parameter, allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary SQL code. This injection can append additional SQL commands to existing queries, enabling attackers to extract sensitive information from the backend database without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, as attackers can exfiltrate sensitive data, while integrity and availability are not directly affected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on May 2, 2025, and was reserved earlier in January 2025. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of advertising plugins, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites using this plugin version, especially those handling sensitive user or business data in their databases.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Many businesses, including e-commerce, media, and marketing companies, rely on WordPress with advertising management plugins like Ads Pro to monetize their websites. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive customer data, business intelligence, or advertising metrics stored in the database. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR due to data breaches, and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, it can be exploited remotely and at scale, increasing the risk of widespread data leakage. Additionally, attackers could use extracted data to facilitate further attacks such as phishing or fraud. The lack of integrity or availability impact reduces the risk of direct service disruption, but confidentiality breaches alone are critical given the regulatory environment in Europe. Organizations with high-value advertising data or customer information are particularly at risk.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on disabling or uninstalling the Ads Pro Plugin until a patched version is released. 2. Monitor web application logs for suspicious requests containing unusual SQL syntax or repeated access to the 'a_id' parameter. 3. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the vulnerable parameter. 4. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied parameters, especially 'a_id', at the application or proxy level if plugin updates are not immediately available. 5. Restrict database user permissions used by WordPress to the minimum necessary, avoiding excessive read privileges on sensitive tables. 6. Regularly back up databases and website content to enable recovery in case of data compromise. 7. Stay alert for official patches or updates from the vendor and apply them promptly once available. 8. Conduct security audits and penetration testing focusing on SQL injection vectors in WordPress plugins. 9. Educate site administrators about the risks of using outdated or unpatched plugins and encourage timely updates.