CVE-2026-108125 in wp-post-author Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/09/2026
Improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command ('SQL injection') vulnerability in wp-post-author.
This issue affects wp-post-author version 4.0.0 prior to 4.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2026
The identified security flaw represents a classic instance of improper neutralization of special elements within database queries, commonly categorized under the Common Weakness Enumeration as CWE-89 SQL Injection. This vulnerability exists specifically within the wp-post-author plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions from 4.0.0 up to but not including version 4.1.0. The core technical issue stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or parameterize user-supplied input before incorporating it into an SQL statement executed against the backend database. In a typical web application architecture utilizing WordPress, this often involves data passed through HTTP requests such as GET parameters, POST body content, or cookies that are intended to filter posts by author ID or name. When the plugin processes these inputs without adequate validation, encoding, or the use of prepared statements with bound variables, it allows an attacker to inject arbitrary SQL syntax into the query string.
From a technical perspective, this flaw enables attackers to manipulate the logic of database queries in ways that were not originally intended by the software developers. By injecting malicious SQL code, an adversary can alter the result set returned by the database engine. This capability is particularly dangerous because it bypasses standard application-level access controls and data validation routines. The vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059 Command Scripting or more specifically T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it leverages a web-facing component to execute unauthorized commands against the database infrastructure. The lack of input sanitization means that special characters such as single quotes, double dashes, and semicolons are interpreted literally by the SQL parser rather than being escaped or neutralized, thereby allowing the injection payload to terminate the original query and append new malicious instructions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, primarily centering on unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. An attacker with low privileges, such as a subscriber-level user in WordPress who can interact with public-facing forms or URLs containing author parameters, could exploit this flaw to extract sensitive information from the database. This includes usernames, hashed passwords, email addresses, session tokens, and other personally identifiable information stored within the wp_users table or related metadata tables. Beyond data exfiltration, skilled attackers may leverage stacked queries or error-based injection techniques to write files to the server's file system if specific MySQL configurations allow it, potentially leading to remote code execution. This could result in a complete compromise of the web application and the underlying hosting environment, allowing for further lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required by administrators running affected versions of the wp-post-author plugin. The primary remediation step is to upgrade the plugin to version 4.1.0 or any later release where the developers have implemented proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Until an update can be applied, temporary mitigations include implementing a Web Application Firewall that filters out common SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests targeting the specific endpoints associated with author filtering features. Additionally, administrators should review server-side logging for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unusual database query structures or error messages related to syntax errors, which often accompany successful injection attempts. Regular security audits and adherence to secure coding standards that mandate strict input validation are essential preventive measures against this class of vulnerability in future development cycles.