Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-30236 is a high-severity SQL injection issue in the WordPress Contest Gallery plugin through version 21.3.4. It could let a low-privileged authenticated user expose sensitive database information and cause limited availability impact. The bundle does not show active exploitation or a confirmed fixed version.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for any internet-facing WordPress site using this plugin, especially where untrusted users can authenticate. The main business risk is database confidentiality loss from a common WordPress extension, with limited availability impact noted by CVSS.
Technical view
The CVE describes CWE-89 improper SQL neutralization in Contest Gallery for WordPress. CVSS 3.1 is 8.5 with network access, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, changed scope, high confidentiality impact, no integrity impact, and low availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Contest Gallery version 21.3.4 or earlier. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires low privileges, so authenticated user access matters. The affected-version metadata is inconsistent, so verify installed plugin name and version directly.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle marks KEV as false and includes no cited evidence of exploitation in the wild. Treat this as a serious data-exposure risk, but do not claim active exploitation without additional vendor, CISA, or threat-intelligence confirmation.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE and Patchstack database references. The CVSS vector supports authenticated, low-complexity network exploitation, but the bundle does not identify vulnerable parameters, exploit maturity, fixed versions, or active exploitation. Avoid extrapolating beyond Contest Gallery through 21.3.4.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory all WordPress sites for the Contest Gallery plugin.
- Check Patchstack and vendor guidance for a fixed version or official mitigation.
- Upgrade the plugin if a vendor-supported fixed release is available.
- Disable or remove the plugin if no supported fix is available.
- Restrict plugin access to trusted authenticated users only.
Validation and detection
- Confirm each site’s installed Contest Gallery version.
- Flag versions 21.3.4 and earlier for remediation review.
- Verify whether low-privileged users can access affected plugin functionality.
- Review web and database logs for unusual plugin errors or query anomalies.
- Document remediation status and residual exposure for each site.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-89: Database access and collection lookup
Injection into data stores can inform collection, data access, and exfiltration detection reviews. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2024-30236 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L3.14.7PatchstackVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/contest-gallery/vulnerability/wordpress-contest-gallery-plugin-21-3-4-sql-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cveCVE reference, Patchstack · vdb-entry
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/contest-gallery/wordpress-contest-gallery-plugin-21-3-4-sql-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cveCVE reference, CVE · vdb-entry, x_transferred
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.