CVE-2016-20071 in 404 Redirection Manager Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/15/2026
The 404 Redirection Manager plugin version 1.0 for WordPress contains an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries by injecting malicious code through unsanitized user input. Attackers can craft GET requests with SQL injection payloads to manipulate database queries and extract sensitive information from the WordPress database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2026
The 404 Redirection Manager plugin for WordPress represents a critical security vulnerability that exposes WordPress installations to unauthorized database access through an unauthenticated sql injection flaw. This vulnerability exists within the plugin version 1.0 and specifically targets the handling of user input in http get requests. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate database queries without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any internet connected device. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization within the plugin's codebase, where user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into sql queries without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows established patterns of sql injection attacks where malicious payloads are embedded within get request parameters to manipulate the underlying database operations. Attackers can construct specially crafted urls that, when processed by the vulnerable plugin, execute arbitrary sql commands against the wordpress database. This allows for complete database enumeration, data extraction, and potentially full system compromise through the exploitation of the underlying database access permissions. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of redirection management functionality where user input is not properly sanitized before being used in database queries. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category of cwe-89 sql injection, which is classified as a high severity issue in the owasp top ten security risks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enable complete system compromise of wordpress installations running the affected plugin version. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, administrative access details, and other confidential data stored within the wordpress database. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that any user with access to the target website can potentially exploit this vulnerability without requiring prior authentication or privileged access. This vulnerability directly maps to several tactics in the attack technique and classification library including privilege escalation and credential access phases, as successful exploitation can lead to administrative control of the affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including plugin updates to versions that address the sql injection flaw, implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious sql injection attempts, and comprehensive database access logging to monitor for unauthorized query execution. System administrators should also conduct thorough security assessments of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist within the wordpress ecosystem. The recommended approach includes disabling the vulnerable plugin until a patched version is available, implementing proper input validation at all entry points, and establishing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can detect sql injection patterns in real-time to provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.