WordPress Core 6.5.0 - 7.1.2 - Authenticated (Author+) Second-Order SQL Injection via WXR Export

2026-10-07 00:00
Anthropic

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 6.5.13
Affected Core
WordPress 7.1
Affected Version
6.5.0 – 7.1.2 · 7 branches
CVSS
4.8Medium
Weakness type
CWE-89 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CVE
CVE pending
View all WordPress 7.1 vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in the WordPress 7.1 WordPress release line, affecting 6.5.0 – 7.1.2 · 7 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 4.8 (reachable over the network; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Author level or above. The issue is fixed in version 6.5.13; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2026, reported by Anthropic.

Vulnerability Overview

WordPress Core is vulnerable to second-order SQL Injection in versions 6.5 through 7.1.2 because non-numeric values collected from post thumbnail metadata are concatenated into a later WXR export query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above and a separate method of storing a crafted _thumbnail_id value, to alter a database query when a privileged user subsequently performs an applicable single-content-type export. The default All content export does not reach the vulnerable branch.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

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

Reaching this weakness in WordPress 7.1 6.5.0 – 7.1.2 · 7 branches takes an account at Author level or above. 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 7.1 the fix is 6.5.13: builds 6.5.0 – 7.1.2 · 7 branches are affected, anything from 6.5.13 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 6.5.13, 6.6.10, 6.7.10, 6.8.11, 6.9.10, 7.0.7, 7.1.3

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Author access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 6.5.13 is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/866f5121-81be-409e-b6d5-81b72bfb5539

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