CVE-2026-118698 in JoomSport Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
The JoomSport – for Sports: Team & League, Football, Hockey & more plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to generic SQL Injection via the 'pgroup' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 5.7.14 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database. A Contributor-level user can trigger the vulnerable code path by authoring a post containing the [jsMatchPlayerList] shortcode with a malicious pgroup value and previewing it, as WordPress allows shortcode execution during post preview for the post's author.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The JoomSport plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to 5.7.14, contains a critical SQL injection vulnerability within its handling of the 'pgroup' parameter. This flaw stems from insufficient input sanitization and a lack of proper query preparation mechanisms when processing user-supplied data. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands into existing database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in the WordPress database.
From a technical perspective, this is classified as an Unrestricted Upload of Functionality with Wrong Path or CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection), specifically manifesting through SQL injection patterns identified under CWE-89. The root cause lies in how the plugin processes shortcodes during post preview operations. When a user creates content containing the [jsMatchPlayerList] shortcode and includes a maliciously crafted pgroup value, WordPress executes this code path due to its default behavior of allowing shortcode execution for authors viewing their own drafts or previews.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it requires only contributor-level access or higher privileges to exploit. This relatively low barrier to entry means that any user with basic publishing rights can potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the entire WordPress installation. Successful exploitation could lead to data exfiltration, including usernames, passwords, session tokens, and other sensitive database contents. In some cases, depending on the underlying database configuration and privileges granted to the web application's database account, this vulnerability might even allow for remote code execution or complete system compromise through advanced SQL injection techniques such as stacked queries or out-of-band data extraction methods.
This attack vector aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059: Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically when considering how injected SQL commands can be used to execute further malicious actions against the database server itself. Additionally, it relates to T1213: Data from Information Repositories since the primary goal is extracting sensitive data from existing databases rather than introducing new malware directly onto the system.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected JoomSport installations to version 5.7.15 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved input validation and parameterized query construction. Until patches are applied, administrators can implement temporary workarounds such as restricting contributor-level access until the issue is resolved, implementing Web Application Firewall rules that detect common SQL injection patterns in shortcode parameters, or disabling post preview functionality for non-administrative users if feasible within their specific deployment context. Regular security audits and penetration testing should also be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across other WordPress plugins currently installed on affected systems.