CVE-2026-85652 in Photo Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2026
The Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based SQL Injection via 'album_id' Shortcode Attribute in all versions up to, and including, 1.8.44 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 author-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database. An Author-level user can store a SQL injection payload inside a published post's shortcode attribute, causing the payload to execute when any visitor renders the post; notably, the unsanitized value appears on both sides of a UNION query, potentially doubling the observable time-based delay.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2026
The vulnerability identified in The Photo Gallery by 10Web plugin for WordPress represents a critical security flaw within versions up to and including 1.8.44. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms applied to the album_id shortcode attribute. When users embed gallery content into posts using this specific shortcode, the application fails to properly escape or prepare the user-supplied parameter before incorporating it into database queries. This lack of rigorous data handling allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands directly into the query structure executed by the backend system. The core technical failure lies in the absence of prepared statements and adequate escaping functions that would typically neutralize special characters used in SQL injection attacks, leaving the application susceptible to manipulation of its underlying database operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables authenticated attackers with author-level access or higher privileges to execute time-based blind SQL injection techniques. By crafting a specific payload within the shortcode attribute of a published post, an attacker can trigger measurable delays in database response times when the post is viewed by any visitor. This mechanism allows for the extraction of sensitive information from the WordPress database without requiring direct interaction with administrative interfaces or complex exploitation tools that might be detected by security monitoring systems. The ability to store these payloads within content itself means that the attack vector persists until the vulnerable shortcode is removed, effectively turning every page view into a potential probe against the database infrastructure.
The severity of this flaw is further amplified by the specific nature of the SQL injection point. Analysis indicates that the unsanitized value appears on both sides of a UNION query operation. This structural characteristic potentially doubles the observable time-based delay when an attack payload is executed, making detection and exploitation more reliable for attackers while simultaneously increasing the load on the database server during such attempts. The use of UNION queries suggests that if combined with other techniques or errors in error reporting configurations, this vulnerability could theoretically be leveraged to extract data directly rather than relying solely on time-based inference, although the primary documented impact remains focused on information disclosure through timing side-channels.
In terms of industry classification standards, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-89, which covers Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command commonly known as SQL Injection. The specific exploitation method involving delayed responses places it within the realm of blind SQL injection techniques often associated with ATT&CK technique T1053, specifically relating to scheduled tasks or cron jobs if automated extraction scripts are employed over time, though primarily it falls under data exfiltration via application layer attacks. The requirement for author-level access classifies this as a privilege-dependent vulnerability where lower-privileged users such as subscribers cannot exploit the flaw directly unless they can influence content authored by higher-privilege accounts or through social engineering tactics that lead to post publication.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation of the input validation logic within the plugin codebase. Developers should implement strict parameterized queries using prepared statements for all database interactions involving user-supplied data, ensuring that album_id values are treated strictly as data rather than executable SQL components. Additionally, implementing robust output encoding and context-aware escaping mechanisms will prevent malicious characters from altering query structures. For site administrators unable to immediately update the plugin due to compatibility concerns, restricting author-level access to trusted individuals and monitoring database logs for unusual latency patterns can provide temporary risk reduction until a patched version is deployed. Regular security audits of third-party plugins are essential to identify such flaws before they can be exploited in production environments.