CVE-2026-62124 in N7 Golf Club Sports & Events Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
Unauthenticated PHP Object Injection in N7 | Golf Club Sports & Events <= 2.21 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated PHP object injection flaw within the N7 Golf Club Sports and Events plugin, specifically affecting versions up to 2.21, represents a critical security deficiency that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target web server without requiring valid credentials. This type of vulnerability stems from the improper handling of user-supplied input during the deserialization process in PHP applications. When an application accepts data such as cookies, POST parameters, or URL arguments and passes them directly into a function like unserialize() without adequate validation or sanitization, it creates a vector for attackers to inject malicious serialized objects. In the context of this specific plugin, the lack of authentication requirements means that any internet user can interact with the vulnerable endpoint, significantly expanding the attack surface from internal users only to potentially millions of external actors scanning for such weaknesses on public-facing websites.
From a technical perspective, PHP object injection exploits the magic methods defined within classes used by the application or its dependencies. By crafting a specific serialized string that instantiates an existing class with malicious properties, an attacker can trigger these magic methods during deserialization. These methods often contain logic that interacts with file systems, executes system commands via functions like exec() or shell_exec(), or performs database queries. Because the vulnerability is unauthenticated, the exploitation does not depend on session hijacking or brute-forcing login credentials, making it particularly dangerous and easy to automate using widely available exploit frameworks. The attacker can manipulate internal application states, bypass intended access controls, and potentially achieve full control over the underlying server environment if the web service process runs with elevated privileges or if further lateral movement is possible within the network infrastructure hosting the vulnerable WordPress instance.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple defacement or data theft; it poses a severe risk to system integrity and availability. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the web server, allowing attackers to install backdoors, deploy ransomware, mine cryptocurrency using server resources, or pivot into other parts of the internal network if the WordPress instance is part of a larger corporate infrastructure. Furthermore, because this plugin manages sports events and club data, there is also an associated risk of data integrity compromise where critical information regarding schedules, member details, or financial transactions could be altered or exfiltrated. The absence of authentication lowers the barrier to entry for opportunistic attackers who routinely scan the internet using automated tools like Shodan or Censys looking for vulnerable plugins, meaning that sites running this version are likely already being probed by malicious bots seeking easy wins.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required from system administrators and developers managing WordPress installations utilizing the N7 Golf Club Sports & Events plugin. The primary remediation step is to upgrade the plugin to a patched version released after 2.21 where the deserialization inputs have been properly sanitized or replaced with safer alternatives such as JSON decoding if applicable, ensuring that only expected data types are processed. If an immediate update is not feasible due to compatibility concerns, temporary mitigations should include implementing strict input validation at the web application firewall level to block requests containing serialized object patterns associated with known exploit payloads. Additionally, restricting access to administrative endpoints and monitoring server logs for unusual activity related to deserialization errors or unexpected file system changes can help detect attempted exploitation attempts before they succeed. Regular security audits and adherence to secure coding standards that prohibit direct user input in serialization functions are essential practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future updates.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) ID 502, which describes Deserialization of Untrusted Data, a category of flaws where the application fails to validate data before passing it to deserialization routines. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this exploitation technique maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK tactic T1059, specifically sub-technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: PHP, as well as T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution if the goal is to infect client-side systems through compromised server content. Understanding these mappings helps security teams prioritize patching efforts based on industry-standard risk assessments and ensures that defensive measures are aligned with recognized threat models used by advanced persistent threats and automated malware distributors alike.