CVE-2026-11920 in JoomSport Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/05/2026
The JoomSport – for Sports: Team & League, Football, Hockey & more plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based SQL Injection via the 'order' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 5.7.9 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 administrator-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database. The affected admin page lacks nonce or CSRF protection on the GET request, meaning an unauthenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability by tricking an authenticated administrator into issuing a crafted request. Additionally, the vulnerability is only triggered when the 'orderby' parameter is also present and non-empty alongside the 'order' parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2026
The JoomSport plugin for WordPress represents a widely used sports management solution that allows administrators to create and manage team leagues, football schedules, hockey tournaments, and other sporting events. This plugin has been identified as containing a critical time-based sql injection vulnerability in versions up to and including 5.7.9. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization practices within the plugin's codebase, specifically affecting how the 'order' parameter is processed within database queries. Security researchers have classified this weakness under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which represents improper neutralization of special elements used in an sql command, commonly known as sql injection. The flaw manifests when authenticated users with administrator privileges or higher execute specific actions that trigger the vulnerable code path.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the 'order' parameter within the plugin's administrative interface. When an attacker supplies malicious input to this parameter, the insufficient escaping allows arbitrary sql commands to be appended to existing database queries. This particular weakness requires two specific conditions to be met for successful exploitation: the presence of both the 'order' parameter and a non-empty 'orderby' parameter within the same request. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates through time-based techniques, where the attacker can infer database contents by measuring response times from the server. This method of extraction is particularly effective as it bypasses many traditional sql injection detection mechanisms that focus on direct output reflection rather than timing-based information leakage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enable complete system compromise. An authenticated attacker with administrator-level access can leverage this weakness to extract sensitive database information including user credentials, configuration details, and potentially the full WordPress database contents. The exploitation process requires minimal technical skill as it only necessitates crafting specific parameter values rather than complex sql injection payloads. However, the practical attack vector becomes more complex when considering that the vulnerable admin page lacks proper nonce or csrf protection mechanisms. This absence of security controls creates a scenario where an unauthenticated attacker could potentially trick an authenticated administrator into executing malicious requests through social engineering techniques.
The vulnerability's exploitation timeline and method present unique challenges for detection and prevention. The time-based nature of the injection means that traditional sql injection filters may not identify the attack, as the malicious input does not produce immediate output or error messages. Instead, attackers must carefully construct payloads that cause measurable delays in database response times to confirm successful exploitation. This timing mechanism is consistent with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 which describes data from databases obtained through time-based timing attacks. The lack of csrf protection on the affected admin page creates an additional attack surface where attackers can leverage cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, potentially allowing unauthenticated exploitation when administrators visit malicious websites or click on compromised links.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most critical action involves upgrading to a patched version of the JoomSport plugin where the sql injection vulnerability has been properly addressed through proper input sanitization and parameterized queries. The code should implement proper escaping mechanisms for all user-supplied parameters and ensure that database queries are constructed using prepared statements rather than dynamic sql concatenation. Organizations should also enforce strict access controls and monitor administrator activities for unusual patterns of sql query execution or database access. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls with sql injection detection capabilities can provide an additional layer of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and parameterized queries in preventing sql injection attacks, particularly in administrative interfaces where attackers can gain elevated privileges.