CVE-2026-2024 Overview
The PhotoStack Gallery plugin for WordPress contains a critical SQL Injection vulnerability in the postid parameter affecting all versions up to and including 0.4.1. This vulnerability arises from insufficient escaping of user-supplied input and inadequate preparation of existing SQL queries, allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL statements and extract sensitive information from the WordPress database.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection flaw to extract sensitive data including user credentials, personal information, and other confidential database contents without requiring any authentication.
Affected Products
- PhotoStack Gallery WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 0.4.1
- WordPress installations with vulnerable PhotoStack Gallery plugin
- Any website using the affected plugin versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-14 - CVE-2026-2024 published to NVD
- 2026-02-18 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-2024
Vulnerability Analysis
This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists within the PhotoStack Gallery plugin's handling of the postid parameter. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate SQL queries through the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The primary security impact is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive database information, as attackers can append additional SQL queries to extract data from the WordPress database.
The vulnerable code appears in the photo_gallery.php file, where user-supplied input through the postid parameter is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterized query preparation. This classic SQL Injection pattern enables attackers to break out of the intended query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is twofold: insufficient escaping of the user-supplied postid parameter and lack of prepared statements in the existing SQL query construction. WordPress provides the $wpdb->prepare() method specifically to prevent SQL Injection by using parameterized queries, but this protection was not implemented in the affected code paths.
The vulnerable code locations have been identified in the plugin source:
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious HTTP requests containing SQL Injection payloads in the postid parameter. The vulnerability allows attackers to append additional SQL queries using techniques such as UNION-based injection, blind SQL injection, or time-based injection to enumerate and extract database contents.
Typical exploitation would involve sending requests with crafted postid values containing SQL metacharacters and additional query fragments designed to reveal database structure, table names, column information, and ultimately sensitive data such as WordPress user credentials, email addresses, and other stored information.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-2024
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual database query patterns or errors in WordPress error logs
- Requests to PhotoStack Gallery endpoints containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, semicolons, UNION keywords) in the postid parameter
- Abnormal data retrieval patterns or unexplained database access from web application logs
- Web server access logs showing suspicious requests with encoded SQL payloads
Detection Strategies
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL Injection patterns in request parameters
- Monitor WordPress and web server logs for requests containing common SQL Injection signatures such as UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, and comment sequences
- Deploy intrusion detection systems with signatures for SQL Injection attack patterns
- Enable database query logging to identify anomalous query structures
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure real-time alerting for SQL syntax errors in application logs that may indicate injection attempts
- Monitor for unusual spikes in database read operations, particularly on sensitive tables like wp_users
- Implement anomaly detection for request patterns targeting PhotoStack Gallery plugin endpoints
- Review authentication and access logs for evidence of credential harvesting following potential exploitation
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-2024
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the PhotoStack Gallery plugin to a patched version if available from the WordPress plugin repository
- If no patch is available, immediately deactivate and remove the PhotoStack Gallery plugin from affected WordPress installations
- Implement WAF rules to block requests containing SQL Injection patterns in the postid parameter
- Review database access logs for evidence of prior exploitation and potential data exfiltration
Patch Information
Check the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for the latest patch status and remediation guidance. Monitor the WordPress plugin repository for security updates to the PhotoStack Gallery plugin.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the PhotoStack Gallery plugin until a security patch is released
- Implement server-level input validation to sanitize the postid parameter before it reaches the application
- Deploy a WAF with SQL Injection protection rules to filter malicious requests
- Restrict direct access to plugin files through .htaccess rules or server configuration if the plugin must remain active
# Example .htaccess rule to restrict access to vulnerable plugin files
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} postid=.*['\";] [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} postid=.*union [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} postid=.*select [NC]
RewriteRule ^wp-content/plugins/photostack-gallery/.* - [F,L]
</IfModule>
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
