Description
wp-admin/setup-config.php in the installation component in WordPress 3.3.1 and earlier does not ensure that the specified MySQL database service is appropriate, which allows remote attackers to configure an arbitrary database via the dbhost and dbname parameters, and subsequently conduct static code injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via (1) an HTTP request or (2) a MySQL query. NOTE: the vendor disputes the significance of this issue; however, remote code execution makes the issue important in many realistic environments
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | wordpress | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 13 | wordpress | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | wordpress | No fix yet | — |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Exploit-DB 1
- WordPress Core 3.3.1 - Multiple Vulnerabilities EDB-18417 · webapps · Jan 25, 2012 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.