CVE-2026-15445 in SEO Booster Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2026
The SEO Booster plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based SQL Injection via the 'orderby' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 7.3.1 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. Although esc_sql() and sanitize_text_field() are applied, neither neutralizes SQL keywords, commas, parentheses, or subquery syntax in an unquoted ORDER BY context, leaving the clause fully attacker-controlled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2026
The SEO Booster plugin for WordPress represents a significant security vulnerability through its implementation of time-based SQL injection in versions up to and including 7.3.1. This flaw manifests specifically through the 'orderby' parameter within the plugin's functionality, where insufficient input validation and sanitization create an exploitable condition that allows authenticated attackers with administrator-level privileges to manipulate database queries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate escaping mechanisms that fail to properly neutralize malicious SQL syntax elements when processing user-supplied parameters in the ORDER BY clause of database queries.
The technical exploitation occurs because the plugin employs esc_sql() and sanitize_text_field() functions, which while present, prove insufficient for preventing SQL injection attacks in this particular context. These functions do not adequately address SQL keywords, commas, parentheses, or subquery syntax that could be leveraged to construct malicious SQL statements within an unquoted ORDER BY parameter. The lack of proper query preparation leaves the entire ORDER BY clause fully attacker-controlled, enabling the execution of arbitrary SQL commands through time-based blind injection techniques that can extract sensitive data from the underlying database without requiring direct output reflection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exfiltration, as authenticated administrators with elevated privileges can leverage this weakness to perform comprehensive database reconnaissance and potentially escalate their access further within the WordPress environment. Attackers can utilize the time-based SQL injection to extract user credentials, configuration details, plugin settings, and other sensitive information stored in the database through carefully crafted payloads that manipulate query execution timing. This vulnerability represents a critical risk to WordPress installations using the affected plugin versions, particularly in environments where administrative accounts may be compromised or where attackers have already gained access to high-privilege user accounts.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of the SEO Booster plugin when available, as well as implementing additional defensive measures such as input validation at multiple layers and query parameterization techniques. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 SQL Injection and follows ATT&CK technique T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS to establish command and control channels for data exfiltration. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help limit the potential damage from such attacks, while regular security audits and monitoring of database query logs should be implemented to detect anomalous SQL execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.