CVE-2026-14342 Overview
CVE-2026-14342 is a time-based SQL Injection vulnerability [CWE-89] in the Mail Mint plugin for WordPress, which provides email marketing, newsletter, email automation, and WooCommerce email functionality. The flaw resides in the contact_ids parameter and affects all versions up to and including 1.24.2. The plugin fails to properly escape user-supplied input and does not adequately prepare the underlying SQL query. Authenticated attackers with administrator-level access or higher can append additional SQL statements to existing queries. Successful exploitation allows extraction of sensitive information from the WordPress database.
Critical Impact
Authenticated administrators can execute arbitrary SQL statements through the contact_ids parameter, enabling extraction of sensitive database contents including user credentials, session tokens, and configuration secrets.
Affected Products
- Mail Mint plugin for WordPress, all versions through 1.24.2
- WordPress sites using Mail Mint for email marketing and automation
- WooCommerce stores integrated with vulnerable Mail Mint versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-09 - CVE-2026-14342 published to NVD
- 2026-07-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-14342
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a time-based SQL Injection issue in the Mail Mint contact management API. Time-based SQL Injection allows attackers to infer database contents by measuring server response delays triggered by conditional SQL functions such as SLEEP() or BENCHMARK(). The injection point is the contact_ids parameter processed by the plugin's administrative contact controller. Because the parameter is concatenated into an SQL statement without adequate escaping or parameterization, attacker-controlled input alters query structure. An authenticated administrator can leverage this to enumerate database schema and exfiltrate stored records. Impacted code paths are documented in the Mail Mint ContactController, the ContactRoute, and the ContactModel.
Root Cause
The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and the absence of prepared statements for the contact_ids parameter. Values submitted through the admin contacts endpoint are inserted directly into a SQL query string. WordPress provides the $wpdb->prepare() API to bind parameters safely, but the affected code path bypasses it. This mismatch between untrusted input and unparameterized SQL execution creates the injection primitive.
Attack Vector
An attacker must first obtain administrator-level credentials on the target WordPress site. Once authenticated, the attacker sends a crafted request to the Mail Mint contacts REST route, embedding a time-based SQL payload in the contact_ids parameter. The malicious payload uses conditional SLEEP() calls to leak data one bit at a time through timing side channels. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own authenticated session. Full technical details are available in the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-14342
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusually long HTTP response times on Mail Mint REST endpoints, particularly requests referencing contact_ids.
- Web server or WordPress logs showing administrator requests to the contact API containing SQL keywords such as SLEEP, BENCHMARK, UNION, or SELECT.
- Unexpected outbound queries or data volume from the WordPress database process associated with administrator sessions.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect WordPress access logs for POST or GET requests to Mail Mint contact routes containing encoded SQL syntax in the contact_ids parameter.
- Enable slow query logging on the MySQL or MariaDB backend and correlate slow queries with plugin-originated statements.
- Deploy web application firewall rules that identify time-based SQL Injection payload signatures on authenticated WordPress endpoints.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on administrator account activity that generates atypical request patterns to /wp-json/mrm/ or Mail Mint admin routes.
- Track database query duration baselines and flag statistically anomalous spikes tied to specific plugin routes.
- Monitor for privilege changes and new administrator account creation, since the exploit requires an administrator session.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-14342
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Mail Mint plugin to a version later than 1.24.2 as soon as the vendor publishes a patched release.
- Audit all WordPress administrator accounts and remove or downgrade any that are unnecessary or dormant.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on all administrator-level WordPress accounts to reduce the risk of session takeover.
- Review database logs and Mail Mint API activity for signs of prior exploitation.
Patch Information
The vendor addressed the vulnerability in the Mail Mint plugin repository. Details of the code changes are recorded in the Mail Mint changeset. Administrators should upgrade through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by deploying the fixed release from the plugin repository.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the WordPress admin area with IP allowlisting at the web server or reverse proxy layer.
- Temporarily deactivate the Mail Mint plugin on sites that cannot immediately apply the fix.
- Configure a web application firewall to block requests containing SQL keywords in the contact_ids parameter.
# Example WordPress CLI update to patched Mail Mint version
wp plugin update mail-mint --version=<patched-version>
wp plugin list --name=mail-mint --fields=name,status,version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
