CVE-2026-102499 in Modern Events Calendar Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2026
The Modern Events Calendar Lite WordPress plugin before 7.37.0, Modern Event Calendar Pro WordPress plugin before 7.37.0 do not sanitise and escape a parameter before using it in a SQL statement, which allows authenticated users with Subscriber-level access and above to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries and extract sensitive data from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2026
The vulnerability identified affects the Modern Events Calendar Lite and Modern Event Pro WordPress plugins prior to version 7.37.0. This security flaw is classified as an Unrestricted Upload of Resource with Dangerous Type or more accurately in this context, a SQL Injection due to insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input before its inclusion in database queries. Specifically, the issue arises from the failure to properly sanitize and escape parameters that are directly concatenated into Structured Query Language statements executed by the underlying WordPress database interface. This lack of proper data validation allows an attacker who has authenticated access at the Subscriber level or higher to manipulate these inputs effectively altering the intended logic of the SQL query.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command commonly known as SQL Injection. The core issue lies in the application's handling of input data where special characters or maliciously crafted payloads are not stripped out or properly escaped using prepared statements or equivalent secure coding practices. When a user submits specific parameters through plugin interfaces, these values are passed directly into database operations without adequate protection mechanisms such as parameterized queries which would separate code from data thereby preventing the interpretation of injected commands as executable SQL syntax.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for any WordPress site utilizing affected versions of either plugin since it enables authenticated attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the context of their user privileges. Although limited to users with Subscriber-level access or above, which requires initial authentication, the ability to append additional SQL queries allows for data exfiltration from the database. Attackers can leverage this capability to extract sensitive information such as administrator credentials personal identifiable information stored in custom tables and other confidential site data that would otherwise be inaccessible through normal application functionality. This represents a serious breach of confidentiality integrity may also be compromised if update or delete operations are injected leading to potential denial of service conditions or complete compromise of the web application environment.
In terms of threat modeling this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter particularly when considering how SQL commands act as a form of scripting language within database engines allowing attackers to execute arbitrary logic against backend systems furthermore it relates to T1213 Data from Information Repositories highlighting the primary objective of extracting valuable data sources. The exploitation path typically involves identifying endpoints exposed by the plugin that accept user input then crafting payloads designed to terminate existing queries and inject new ones often using UNION SELECT statements or boolean-based blind injection techniques depending on database error reporting settings enabled during development phases.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching as vendors have released version 7.37.0 addressing these specific weaknesses through improved input validation routines stricter escaping mechanisms and adoption of modern secure coding standards like PDO prepared statements within WordPress environments administrators should verify plugin versions regularly ensure automatic updates are configured where possible monitor logs for suspicious database activity indicative of injection attempts such as unusual query patterns or high volumes of failed authentication followed by successful data retrieval operations additionally implementing Web Application Firewalls can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking known SQL injection signatures before they reach the application logic though reliance on WAFs should not replace fixing root causes within code itself.
Long-term resilience requires adopting a secure development lifecycle approach where security reviews are integrated early in design phases emphasizing principle of least privilege ensuring all external inputs undergo rigorous validation regardless of perceived trust level based on user roles developers must utilize framework-provided abstractions for database interactions rather than raw SQL concatenation regularly update dependencies including core CMS components and third-party plugins to incorporate latest security fixes community engagement through bug bounty programs can also help identify similar flaws across broader ecosystem before they are exploited maliciously maintaining comprehensive audit trails facilitates forensic analysis post-incident helping understand scope impact aiding recovery efforts effectively.