CVE-2026-15018 Overview
The Database Collation Fix plugin for WordPress contains a time-based SQL injection vulnerability affecting all versions up to and including 1.2.10. The flaw resides in the handling of the force-collation-algorithm parameter, which lacks proper escaping and query preparation. Unauthenticated attackers can append additional SQL statements to existing queries and extract sensitive data from the database. Exploitation depends on the presence of a trigger.txt file inside /wp-content/plugins/database-collation-fix/, a state produced by DesktopServer integration events such as site creation, copy, import, move, export, or deploy. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-89.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated database content extraction via time-based SQL injection on WordPress sites running the plugin with an existing trigger.txt file.
Affected Products
- Database Collation Fix plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.2.10
- WordPress installations using DesktopServer integration workflows
- Sites with /wp-content/plugins/database-collation-fix/trigger.txt present
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-08-01 - CVE-2026-15018 published to NVD
- 2026-08-03 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-15018
Vulnerability Analysis
The plugin accepts a user-supplied force-collation-algorithm parameter and concatenates it into a SQL statement without sufficient escaping or preparation. Because the query is not parameterized, attacker-controlled input becomes part of the executed SQL. The attacker leverages time-based blind SQL injection techniques, using conditional delay functions to infer database contents one bit at a time. Successful exploitation exposes confidentiality of database records including WordPress user metadata, session tokens, and configuration values. Integrity and availability are not directly impacted per the CVSS vector.
Root Cause
The root cause is insufficient input validation combined with the absence of prepared statements (CWE-89). The force-collation-algorithm parameter flows directly into a SQL query built by string concatenation. Relevant source lines are documented in the plugin repository at line 81, line 131, line 148, and line 251.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An unauthenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP request containing malicious SQL payloads in the force-collation-algorithm parameter. The attack path is gated by the existence of trigger.txt in the plugin directory, which is created automatically when DesktopServer performs site creation, copy, import, move, export, or deploy operations. Attackers can enumerate targets by probing for this file. Detailed exploitation mechanics are described in the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. The vulnerability manifests when attacker-supplied SQL fragments are appended to the plugin's existing query and executed against the WordPress database, with response timing used as the exfiltration side channel.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-15018
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests containing the force-collation-algorithm parameter with SQL syntax such as SLEEP(), BENCHMARK(), UNION SELECT, or conditional expressions
- Presence of the trigger.txt file at /wp-content/plugins/database-collation-fix/trigger.txt on sites not actively performing a DesktopServer operation
- Anomalously long response times to plugin endpoints, indicative of time-based blind SQLi probing
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for requests referencing databasecollationfix.php or the force-collation-algorithm parameter
- Deploy web application firewall rules that flag SQL keywords, comment sequences, and time-delay functions in query strings targeting the plugin
- Audit installed WordPress plugins for Database Collation Fix versions <= 1.2.10
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on creation or persistence of trigger.txt within the plugin directory outside of expected DesktopServer workflows
- Baseline query response times for the plugin's endpoints and alert on statistical outliers
- Correlate MySQL slow query logs with inbound HTTP requests referencing the vulnerable parameter
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-15018
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Database Collation Fix plugin beyond version 1.2.10 once a patched release is confirmed via the WordPress Plugin Changeset
- Remove any trigger.txt file from /wp-content/plugins/database-collation-fix/ on production hosts that are not actively performing a DesktopServer operation
- Restrict network access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints from untrusted networks
Patch Information
A vendor changeset addressing the vulnerability is available in the WordPress plugin repository. Review the official changeset for the corrected input handling and prepared-statement usage. Administrators should upgrade to the latest released version and validate installations after deployment.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Database Collation Fix plugin until a patched version is deployed
- Delete trigger.txt from the plugin directory to close the exploitation prerequisite when the plugin cannot be immediately removed
- Deploy WAF signatures blocking SQL metacharacters and time-delay functions in the force-collation-algorithm parameter
- Restrict filesystem write permissions on the plugin directory to prevent unauthorized creation of trigger.txt
# Remove the exploitation trigger file
rm -f /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/database-collation-fix/trigger.txt
# Deactivate the plugin via WP-CLI as a temporary mitigation
wp plugin deactivate database-collation-fix
# Optionally uninstall until a patched release is verified
wp plugin uninstall database-collation-fix
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
