CVE-2026-39492: WP Maps SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2026-39492 Overview

CVE-2026-39492 is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability affecting the WP Maps WordPress plugin (also known as WP Google Map Plugin) in versions up to and including 4.9.1. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL statements through the plugin's request handling without any authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation lets attackers read database contents and impact the availability of the underlying WordPress installation. The issue is classified under CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.3 and was published by Patchstack.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can extract sensitive WordPress database contents and disrupt site availability by injecting arbitrary SQL through the WP Maps plugin.

Affected Products

WP Maps (WP Google Map Plugin) for WordPress, versions <= 4.9.1
WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin in any configuration
Hosting environments serving WordPress instances with WP Maps enabled

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-15 - CVE-2026-39492 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
2026-06-18 - EPSS score recorded at 0.363% (28th percentile)

Technical Details for CVE-2026-39492

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an unauthenticated SQL injection in the WP Maps plugin for WordPress. An attacker reaches the vulnerable code path over the network without credentials or user interaction. Because the scope is changed, the impact extends beyond the plugin component to the broader WordPress database and site.

The injection grants high confidentiality impact, exposing arbitrary database tables including the wp_users table that stores credential hashes and session tokens. Availability impact is low, but malformed queries can still degrade or crash the database backend. Integrity is reported as none in the CVSS vector, indicating the primary risk is data exfiltration rather than tampering through this specific path.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special characters in SQL statements [CWE-89]. User-controlled input reaches a SQL query without being sanitized through $wpdb->prepare() or equivalent parameterized query handling. The plugin concatenates request parameters directly into query strings, allowing attackers to terminate the intended statement and append their own clauses.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to an endpoint exposed by the WP Maps plugin. The malicious payload contains SQL metacharacters that break out of the intended query context. Because no authentication is required, exploitation can be automated at scale against WordPress sites indexed by search engines or plugin fingerprinting tools.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available at the time of writing. Technical details are documented in the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-39492

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to WP Maps plugin endpoints containing SQL metacharacters such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, BENCHMARK(, or encoded variants like %27 and %20OR%201%3D1
Unexpected outbound database errors logged by WordPress or the database server referencing plugin query strings
New or unfamiliar administrator accounts in wp_users following suspicious plugin traffic
Anomalous spikes in query duration or row counts returned from queries originating in wp-content/plugins/wp-google-map-plugin/

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for requests targeting WP Maps parameters that contain SQL syntax tokens
Enable WordPress debug logging (WP_DEBUG_LOG) and review wp-content/debug.log for database errors tied to the plugin
Deploy a web application firewall rule set that flags SQL injection signatures on plugin URLs
Hash and monitor the contents of sensitive tables such as wp_users and wp_options for unauthorized modification

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web server, WordPress, and database logs to a central platform and alert on injection patterns correlated with WP Maps endpoints
Monitor for repeated 500-class HTTP responses from plugin URLs, which often accompany blind injection probing
Track installed plugin versions across managed WordPress fleets to identify hosts still running <= 4.9.1

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-39492

Immediate Actions Required

Update the WP Maps plugin to a version greater than 4.9.1 as soon as a fixed release is available from the vendor
Disable or remove the WP Maps plugin on sites where mapping functionality is not required
Rotate WordPress administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if exploitation is suspected
Audit the wp_users and wp_options tables for unauthorized changes

Patch Information

Refer to the Patchstack advisory for WP Maps 4.9.1 SQL injection for the current patch status and any vendor-issued updates. Apply the fixed release through the WordPress plugin updater or by replacing the plugin directory in wp-content/plugins/wp-google-map-plugin/.

Workarounds

Block external access to WP Maps plugin endpoints at the web server or WAF until a patched version is deployed
Restrict requests to plugin URLs to known internal IP ranges where feasible
Apply virtual patching rules that drop requests containing SQL metacharacters in parameters consumed by the plugin

bash

# Example NGINX rule to block SQL injection patterns on WP Maps endpoints
location ~* /wp-content/plugins/wp-google-map-plugin/ {
    if ($args ~* "(union.*select|sleep\(|benchmark\(|--|%27|0x[0-9a-f]+)") {
        return 403;
    }
}