CVE-2026-16950 in Product Shortlist Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2026
The Product Shortlist WordPress plugin through 1.0.4 does not properly sanitise and escape a parameter before using it in a SQL statement, allowing unauthenticated attackers to perform SQL injection attacks.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2026
The vulnerability identified in the Product Shortlist WordPress plugin versions up to 1.0.4 represents a critical security flaw rooted in insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Specifically, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied parameters prior to their incorporation into SQL query structures. This oversight creates an avenue for unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL commands directly into the database backend. The absence of robust sanitization routines means that any data entered by a remote actor without authentication is treated as executable code rather than literal string data, fundamentally breaking the separation between application logic and user input.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-89, which classifies Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, commonly known as SQL Injection. The vulnerability likely manifests through one or more endpoints within the plugin that accept GET or POST parameters without applying prepared statements or rigorous escaping functions provided by the WordPress database API such as $wpdb->prepare(). By bypassing these protective layers, attackers can manipulate query logic to retrieve sensitive data from the database, modify existing records, or potentially execute administrative commands depending on the privileges of the database user account running the web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its unauthenticated nature. Unlike vulnerabilities that require a logged-in session with specific capabilities, this flaw allows any internet-facing visitor to exploit the system without prior credentials. An attacker could leverage tools like sqlmap or custom scripts to extract sensitive information including user passwords, email addresses, and other personally identifiable information stored in the WordPress database. Furthermore, depending on the underlying database configuration and server permissions, successful exploitation might lead to full site compromise, defacement, or use of the compromised server as part of a botnet for further malicious activities such as distributed denial-of-service attacks.
This type of vulnerability is frequently associated with ATT&CK technique T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically when used in conjunction with database interaction techniques to exfiltrate data via SQL injection. The lack of authentication requirement significantly lowers the barrier to entry for attackers, making it a high-risk target for automated scanning bots that constantly probe WordPress installations for known plugin vulnerabilities. Organizations relying on this plugin are exposed to significant risk unless immediate remediation is applied.
To mitigate this vulnerability, administrators should immediately update the Product Shortlist plugin to version 1.0.5 or later where these sanitization and escaping issues have been addressed by the developers. If updating is not immediately feasible, it is advisable to disable or delete the plugin until a secure version can be deployed. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically tuned for SQL injection patterns can provide an additional layer of defense by blocking malicious payloads before they reach the application code. Regular security audits and adherence to secure coding standards that mandate parameterized queries are essential practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.