CVE-2026-62085 in WP Activity Log Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
Administrator SQL Injection in WP Activity Log <= 5.6.6 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as an administrator-level SQL injection within the WP Activity Log plugin, affecting versions up to and including 5.6.6, represents a critical security flaw that compromises the integrity of WordPress-based content management systems. This specific weakness arises from insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied input parameters before they are incorporated into database query structures. Unlike typical SQL injection vulnerabilities that require unauthenticated access or lower-privilege accounts to exploit, this particular instance is classified as an administrator-level vulnerability. Consequently, the attack vector requires the attacker to possess valid administrative credentials for the targeted WordPress installation. While this restriction significantly raises the barrier to entry compared to remote code execution flaws accessible by anonymous users, it does not eliminate the risk, particularly in environments where privilege escalation has already occurred or when insider threats are a concern.
From a technical perspective, the flaw typically manifests through specific endpoints within the plugin that handle activity log queries, filtering, or export functionalities. When an authenticated administrator submits data to these endpoints—such as search terms, date ranges, or filter criteria—the application fails to properly escape special characters associated with SQL syntax. This oversight allows maliciously crafted input strings to alter the logic of backend database queries executed by the underlying MySQL or MariaDB server. By injecting commands such as UNION SELECT statements or boolean-based blind injection payloads, an attacker can manipulate the query results. The primary technical consequence is the unauthorized extraction of sensitive data stored in the WordPress database, including user credentials with hashed passwords, session tokens, configuration details containing API keys and database connection strings, and potentially other proprietary content managed by the site owner.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft. If the underlying database server allows for file system access via functions like INTO OUTFILE or LOAD_FILE, an attacker could potentially write malicious PHP code to a web-accessible directory, leading to remote code execution on the host server. Even without achieving full command-line access, the ability to read arbitrary tables undermines the confidentiality and integrity guarantees provided by the application. For organizations relying on WP Activity Log for security auditing and compliance monitoring, this vulnerability is particularly ironic and damaging because it allows an attacker with admin privileges to potentially alter or delete audit logs themselves, thereby covering their tracks after exploitation. This creates a significant blind spot in incident response capabilities, making forensic analysis difficult post-breach.
In terms of industry standard classifications, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command (SQL Injection). The specific context of requiring administrative privileges places it within the realm of privilege-dependent exploitation vectors often seen in complex web applications where input validation is inconsistently applied across different modules. From a tactical perspective, this aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Data from Information Repositories and potentially T1078: Valid Accounts if the attacker obtained credentials through prior compromise or phishing. The lack of parameterized queries or prepared statements in the vulnerable code paths is the root cause, reflecting a common development oversight where dynamic SQL construction is used without adequate safeguards against injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation for affected installations. Site administrators should upgrade WP Activity Log to version 5.6.7 or any subsequent release that includes patches addressing this specific input validation failure. Until the patch can be applied, temporary mitigations include restricting administrative access through IP whitelisting if feasible, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically tuned to detect SQL injection patterns in POST and GET parameters associated with activity log endpoints, and ensuring that database users operate under least-privilege principles to limit the potential damage of any successful query manipulation. Furthermore, organizations should enforce multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts to reduce the likelihood of credential theft leading to exploitation of this flaw. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on SQL query construction practices are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom plugins or themes developed internally.