CVE-2026-84937 in Video Player for YouTube Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/05/2026
The Video Player for YouTube WordPress plugin before 2.1.0 does not properly sanitise and escape user-supplied input before using it in a SQL statement, allowing users with the Contributor role and above to perform SQL injection attacks and read arbitrary data from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2026
The vulnerability identified in Video Player for YouTube WordPress plugin versions prior to 2.1.0 represents a critical security flaw rooted in insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms. This specific weakness allows authenticated users with at least Contributor-level privileges to execute SQL injection attacks against the underlying database infrastructure of the targeted WordPress installation. The core technical failure lies in the application's handling of user-supplied data, which is not properly sanitized or escaped before being incorporated into dynamic SQL queries. In a secure software architecture, all external inputs must be treated as untrusted and subjected to rigorous validation checks that ensure they conform to expected formats, types, and ranges. Furthermore, when such data is used in database operations, it must be parameterized or strictly escaped to prevent the interpreter from treating input characters as executable SQL code rather than literal data values. The absence of these protective measures creates a direct pathway for attackers to manipulate query logic by injecting malicious syntax through form fields or URL parameters that interact with the plugin's functionality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to the confidentiality and integrity of the web application's data store. An attacker leveraging this SQL injection flaw can bypass authentication controls, extract sensitive information such as administrator credentials, user emails, and proprietary content stored within the database tables. Beyond simple data exfiltration, depending on the specific configuration of the underlying Database Management System, an advanced attacker might potentially modify or delete existing records, thereby compromising the integrity of the site's content. This level of access effectively grants the attacker full control over the application's backend logic and persistent storage layer, which can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations common in WordPress environments. The requirement for Contributor-level access means that while not immediately exploitable by anonymous visitors, it remains a significant threat vector given that many sites allow public registration or have users who are granted such roles through social engineering or privilege escalation techniques.
This vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers such as CWE-89 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command and CWE-20 Improper Input Validation. The failure to sanitize input corresponds directly to the injection category, where special characters like quotes or semicolons are not neutralized, allowing them to alter the structure of the intended query. Additionally, this scenario is mapped within the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application and potentially T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter if further exploitation leads to remote code execution via database extensions like xp_cmdshell in Microsoft SQL Server environments. Understanding these mappings helps security professionals prioritize remediation efforts based on established industry standards for vulnerability classification and attack pattern recognition.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required by upgrading the Video Player for WordPress plugin to version 2.1.0 or later, where the developers have presumably implemented proper input sanitization and output escaping procedures. Developers should also review any custom code associated with the plugin to ensure that all database interactions utilize prepared statements or parameterized queries rather than string concatenation for building SQL commands. This approach ensures that user inputs are always treated as data parameters by the database engine, effectively neutralizing injection attempts regardless of their content. Furthermore, implementing a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking common SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests before they reach the application logic. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on input validation practices will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into future versions or other plugins within the WordPress ecosystem.