CVE-2026-78470 in WP Project Manager Pro Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2026
The WP Project Manager Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 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 Subscriber-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2026
The vulnerability identified in WP Project Manager Pro versions up to and including 4.0.1 represents a critical security flaw rooted in improper input validation and query construction practices within the WordPress plugin ecosystem. This specific instance of SQL Injection arises because the application fails to adequately sanitize or parameterize user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. In secure software development, any data originating from external sources must be treated as untrusted until proven otherwise through rigorous escaping or prepared statement mechanisms. The absence of these safeguards allows an attacker to manipulate the structure of SQL commands executed by the backend database server, fundamentally breaking the separation between code and data that is essential for relational database integrity.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-89, which defines Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. The vulnerability manifests when authenticated users submit specific parameters through plugin interfaces or API endpoints without proper encoding. Because the existing SQL query lacks sufficient preparation using parameterized queries, the database engine interprets maliciously crafted input as executable code rather than literal data values. This allows attackers to append additional SQL statements to legitimate queries, effectively expanding the scope of operations performed by the database server beyond what was originally intended by the application logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to its reliance on authentication for exploitation. While it requires an attacker to possess at least Subscriber-level access and above within the WordPress environment, such privileges are often granted broadly or can be obtained through credential theft, social engineering, or other lower-severity vulnerabilities like Cross-Site Scripting. Once authenticated, an adversary with these minimal permissions can exploit this flaw to extract sensitive information from the database. This includes user credentials, personal identifiable information stored in project records, financial data associated with client projects, and potentially administrative configuration details that could facilitate further escalation of privileges within the WordPress installation or connected systems.
This exploitation technique is consistent with MITRE ATT&CK tactic T1059, specifically Command and Scripting Interpreter interactions via SQL commands, often categorized under Data Exfiltration techniques such as T1005 when used to retrieve data from local system resources like databases. The ability to append queries means that attackers can perform blind SQL injection attacks or time-based extraction methods if direct output is not visible in the application response. This capability enables the systematic dumping of database contents, leading to a complete compromise of confidentiality for all data managed by the plugin and potentially affecting other plugins sharing the same WordPress database instance due to shared schema access rights.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation through software updates or code-level fixes if updating is not immediately feasible. The primary corrective action involves upgrading WP Project Manager Pro to version 4.0.2 or later, where this vulnerability has been addressed by implementing proper input validation and using prepared statements for all database interactions. For organizations unable to update immediately, deploying a Web Application Firewall can provide temporary protection by filtering out malicious SQL patterns in HTTP requests targeting the plugin endpoints. Additionally, enforcing strict least-privilege principles ensures that user accounts are granted only the minimum permissions necessary for their roles, thereby reducing the attack surface available to potential intruders who might leverage this vulnerability after gaining initial access through other means.