CVE-2024-3561 is an SQL Injection vulnerability identified in the Custom Field Suite plugin for WordPress, maintained by mgibbs189. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 2.6.7, where the plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape user input supplied via the 'Term' custom field. Specifically, the plugin does not use prepared statements or sufficient escaping mechanisms when constructing SQL queries, allowing an authenticated attacker with contributor-level permissions or higher to append arbitrary SQL commands to existing queries. This improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-89) enables attackers to extract sensitive information from the database, modify data, or potentially execute destructive commands affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without user interaction, requiring only authenticated access at a relatively low privilege level. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 reflects the high impact and low attack complexity. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant threat to WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those with multiple contributors or less restrictive access controls. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate mitigation efforts.

The impact of CVE-2024-3561 is substantial for organizations running WordPress sites with the vulnerable Custom Field Suite plugin. Attackers with contributor-level access can leverage this vulnerability to perform SQL Injection attacks, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data such as user credentials, personal information, or business-critical content. They may also alter or delete database records, compromising data integrity and availability. This can result in data breaches, loss of customer trust, regulatory penalties, and operational disruptions. Since contributor-level access is commonly granted to content creators or editors, the attack surface is broader than vulnerabilities requiring administrator privileges. The vulnerability's network accessibility and lack of user interaction requirements increase the risk of automated exploitation in multi-user environments. Organizations with high-value data or compliance requirements are particularly at risk, as attackers could escalate their privileges or pivot to further compromise the hosting environment.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only and reviewing user roles and permissions to minimize exposure. 2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically targeting SQL Injection patterns related to the 'Term' custom field input to block malicious payloads. 3. Monitor database logs and WordPress activity logs for unusual query patterns or unauthorized data access attempts. 4. If possible, disable or remove the Custom Field Suite plugin until a security patch is released. 5. Follow best practices by applying the principle of least privilege for all WordPress user roles. 6. Regularly update WordPress core and plugins once a patch for this vulnerability is available from the vendor. 7. Conduct security audits and penetration testing focusing on SQL Injection vectors in custom fields. 8. Educate content contributors about the risks of inputting untrusted data and enforce input validation on the application side where feasible. 9. Consider database-level protections such as limiting database user permissions to reduce the impact of SQL Injection. 10. Stay informed through official mgibbs189 and WordPress security channels for patch announcements and exploit disclosures.