CVE-2026-60137

WordPress Core 6.8 - 7.0.1 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection via author__not_in Parameter

2026-07-17 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 6.8.6
Affected Core: WordPress 7.0
Affected Version: 6.8 – < 7.0.2 · 3 branches
CVSS: 7.5High
Weakness type: CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE: CVE-2026-60137

At a glance

CVE-2026-60137 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WordPress 7.0 WordPress release line, affecting 6.8 – < 7.0.2 · 3 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 6.8.6; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed July 2026, reported by Tin Pham (TF1T).

Vulnerability Overview

WordPress Core is vulnerable to generic SQL Injection via the 'author__not_in' parameter in versions 6.8 - 7.0.1 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')

WordPress 7.0 6.8 – < 7.0.2 · 3 branches carries this weakness at author__not_in, and reaching it takes no account at all. SQL injection happens when request data is concatenated into a query instead of being bound as a parameter, letting an attacker change the structure of the statement rather than just its values.

A working injection can read any table the database user can see, which on a WordPress install means user records, password hashes and session or API secrets stored in options. For WordPress 7.0 the fix is 6.8.6: builds 6.8 – < 7.0.2 · 3 branches are affected, anything from 6.8.6 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 6.8.6, 6.9.5, 7.0.2

How does WordSec protect against this?

Requests carrying this pattern arrive without a session, so nothing upstream of the firewall gets a chance to reject them: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 6.8.6 is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-60137 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/bd087d06-5395-4dfd-a288-2c3271a62842 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-60137

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in WordPress 7.0

CVSS Vector

7.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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