CVE-2026-97634 in Event Tickets and Registration Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2026
The Event Tickets and Registration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to generic SQL Injection via the 'orderby' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 5.29.5 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 contributor-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database. A Contributor-level user can reach the vulnerable code path by supplying a post_id they authored, as the can_access_page() gate requires only post authorship rather than the edit_others_posts capability for post owners.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2026
The Event Tickets and Registration plugin for WordPress contains a critical SQL injection vulnerability affecting all versions up to 5.29.5. This flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization applied to the orderby parameter within specific administrative endpoints. The core technical issue lies in the failure to properly escape user-supplied data before it is incorporated into database queries, coupled with an absence of prepared statements or equivalent safe query construction methods. Consequently, malicious actors can inject arbitrary SQL commands that are executed directly by the underlying database management system, bypassing intended logical controls and exposing sensitive backend data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to extract confidential information from the WordPress database. While many high-severity vulnerabilities in popular plugins require administrator-level privileges, this specific flaw is accessible to users with contributor-level access or higher. The attack vector leverages a logic error within the can_access_page function, which serves as an authorization gate for certain plugin features. This function incorrectly grants access based solely on post authorship rather than enforcing stricter capability checks such as edit_others_posts. Therefore, any user who has authored at least one event ticket or registration form in the system can trigger the vulnerable code path by supplying a valid post_id associated with their own content, thereby bypassing higher-level security restrictions typically reserved for editors and administrators.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which describes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, commonly known as SQL Injection. The exploitation technique involves appending additional SQL queries to existing ones, allowing the attacker to manipulate the query structure and retrieve data that should remain inaccessible. In terms of tactical mapping within the MITRE ATT&CK framework for enterprise security, this behavior corresponds to T1059.004, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell Commands, specifically when used in conjunction with database interaction techniques like SQL injection (T1213). The ability to extract sensitive information falls under Data from Information Repositories (T1213), enabling further lateral movement or privilege escalation within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching of the Event Tickets and Registration plugin to a version newer than 5.29.5, where these input validation flaws have been addressed by the developers. In scenarios where updating is not immediately feasible, administrators should implement strict access controls to limit contributor-level users from accessing sensitive administrative endpoints if possible through additional security plugins or server-side rules. Furthermore, deploying a Web Application Firewall can help detect and block common SQL injection patterns targeting the orderby parameter. Long-term remediation involves enforcing secure coding practices that mandate the use of prepared statements for all database interactions and ensuring that authorization checks rely on robust capability verification rather than simple ownership assertions to prevent privilege escalation via logic flaws.