CVE-2026-4062: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-4062 is a Time-Based SQL Injection vulnerability in the Geo Mashup plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.13.18. The flaw exists in the object_ids and exclude_object_ids parameters, allowing unauthenticated attackers to extract sensitive information from the WordPress database via a time-based blind SQL injection approach. It was published on May 2, 2026, with a patch made available the same day. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) (GitHub Advisory).

The root cause is CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). Although the plugin applies esc_sql() to user-supplied parameters, this function only escapes quote characters and is ineffective when values are placed in an unquoted IN(...) / NOT IN(...) SQL context, providing no protection against parenthesis or SQL keyword injection. A numeric-only sanitizer exists in sanitize_query_args(), but it is only applied in the AJAX code path — the render-map.php and template tag code paths remain unprotected, creating the exploitable surface. The vulnerable code is located in geo-mashup-db.php (lines 1755 and 1759) and render-map.php (line 166), with a fix committed in changeset 3503627 (GitHub Advisory).

Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated remote attackers to extract sensitive information from the WordPress database, including user credentials, email addresses, private post content, and configuration data, via time-based blind SQL injection. The confidentiality impact is rated High, while integrity and availability are unaffected. Because no authentication or user interaction is required, any publicly accessible WordPress site running the vulnerable plugin version is at risk of full database enumeration (GitHub Advisory, Feedly).

As of the time of disclosure, there is no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of active in-the-wild exploitation (GitHub Advisory). The EPSS score is approximately 0.107% (28th percentile), indicating a relatively low near-term exploitation probability. The vulnerability has been detected by Qualys (detection ID 531298) and was referenced in a CISA vulnerability bulletin for the week of April 27, 2026, though it has not been added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog (Feedly).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites using the Geo Mashup plugin (version ≤ 1.13.18) via passive scanning tools (e.g., WPScan, Shodan) or by checking /wp-content/plugins/geo-mashup/ for plugin presence and version files.
2. Identify vulnerable endpoints: Locate pages or templates that invoke the Geo Mashup map rendering via render-map.php or template tags, which pass object_ids or exclude_object_ids parameters without proper sanitization.
3. Craft time-based blind SQL injection payload: Inject a payload into the object_ids or exclude_object_ids parameter that exploits the unquoted IN(...) context, for example: 1) AND SLEEP(5)-- - or 1,2) AND IF(1=1,SLEEP(5),0)-- -.
4. Enumerate database: Use automated tools such as sqlmap with time-based blind technique (--technique=T) targeting the vulnerable parameter to systematically extract database names, table names, and sensitive records (e.g., WordPress wp_users table for usernames and password hashes).
5. Exfiltrate credentials: Extract hashed passwords and email addresses from the wp_users table, then attempt offline cracking to gain WordPress admin access for further compromise (GitHub Advisory).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to pages rendering Geo Mashup maps containing object_ids or exclude_object_ids parameters with SQL syntax (e.g., parentheses, SLEEP, AND, IF keywords, or numeric sequences with injected clauses); repeated slow-response requests suggesting time-based delays from SLEEP() calls.
• Logs: WordPress or web server access logs showing requests to render-map.php or map shortcode pages with abnormal parameter values containing SQL keywords; multiple requests with incrementally varying parameter values consistent with automated enumeration.
• Process/Database: Elevated database query execution times or repeated slow queries logged in MySQL/MariaDB slow query logs originating from WordPress database calls; unexpected queries involving SLEEP(), BENCHMARK(), or conditional time-delay functions.

Update the Geo Mashup plugin to a version beyond 1.13.18 that includes the fix committed in changeset 3503627, which addresses the unquoted IN()/NOT IN() SQL context and ensures the numeric sanitizer is applied across all code paths. Site administrators unable to update immediately should consider disabling the plugin or restricting access to pages that render Geo Mashup maps. Additionally, deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the object_ids and exclude_object_ids parameters can serve as a temporary mitigation (GitHub Advisory, Wordfence).

Wordfence included CVE-2026-4062 in its weekly WordPress vulnerability report for the period of April 27 – May 3, 2026, highlighting the unauthenticated nature of the flaw (Wordfence Weekly Report). CISA referenced the vulnerability in its weekly vulnerability bulletin (SB26-125) for the week of April 27, 2026 (CISA Bulletin). Social media activity was limited to automated CVE notification accounts on Mastodon and Bluesky shortly after disclosure, with no notable researcher commentary or broader community discussion observed.