CVE-2026-7842 Overview
CVE-2026-7842 is a time-based blind SQL injection vulnerability in the Infility Global WordPress plugin before version 2.15.20. The plugin fails to sanitize or validate the orderby and order parameters in the import_list(), url_detail(), and file_detail() admin page callbacks before passing them into SQL queries. Authenticated attackers with Editor-level access or higher can inject SQL payloads to extract sensitive data from the WordPress database. Exploitation requires the ImportData module to be enabled through the plugin's module toggle page.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with Editor privileges can extract arbitrary database contents, including user credentials and session data, through time-based blind SQL injection.
Affected Products
- Infility Global WordPress plugin versions before 2.15.20
- WordPress installations with the ImportData module enabled
- Sites where Editor-level or higher accounts are accessible to untrusted users
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-23 - CVE-2026-7842 published to NVD
- 2026-06-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-7842
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in three admin page callbacks: import_list(), url_detail(), and file_detail(). Each callback accepts orderby and order request parameters and concatenates them directly into SQL ORDER BY clauses. WordPress's $wpdb->prepare() cannot parameterize identifiers or sort direction tokens, so developers must explicitly allowlist permitted values. The plugin omits this validation step.
Attackers supply crafted strings in orderby or order that include SQL conditional expressions and time-delay functions such as SLEEP() or BENCHMARK(). The database engine evaluates these expressions while sorting result rows, producing measurable response time differences. By varying payloads and observing latency, an attacker reconstructs query results bit by bit. This technique extracts table contents including the wp_users table, where password hashes and session tokens reside.
The attack requires authentication at Editor level or higher, limiting the exposure to environments with multiple privileged accounts, multi-author sites, or compromised lower-privilege credentials chained with privilege escalation.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation on sort parameters used in dynamic SQL construction. The affected callbacks treat user-controlled orderby and order values as trusted identifiers. The ImportData module gating reduces but does not eliminate the attack surface, since administrators commonly enable import features for content workflows.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based through authenticated HTTP requests to WordPress admin endpoints. An attacker logs in with Editor credentials, navigates to an admin page bound to one of the vulnerable callbacks, and submits a request with a malicious orderby or order value. The vulnerability mechanism is described in the WPScan Vulnerability Report; no public proof-of-concept code is published in the referenced advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-7842
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to Infility Global admin pages containing SLEEP(, BENCHMARK(, WAITFOR, or PG_SLEEP substrings in orderby or order parameters
- Anomalous WordPress admin request latencies exceeding several seconds for admin.php calls referencing Infility Global callbacks
- Editor or higher accounts issuing repeated requests to import_list, url_detail, or file_detail endpoints within short windows
- MySQL slow_query_log entries showing queries with extended ORDER BY expressions originating from the plugin
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for query string patterns matching SQL functions in orderby or order parameters on wp-admin paths
- Correlate authenticated session activity with database query duration spikes to surface time-based injection attempts
- Audit WordPress user roles and flag Editor accounts that access plugin admin endpoints they do not normally use
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging plugins to record admin page access and parameter values
- Forward web server, database, and WordPress logs to a central analytics platform for correlation and retention
- Alert on any database query exceeding a baseline execution time threshold when initiated from the WordPress application user
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-7842
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Infility Global WordPress plugin to version 2.15.20 or later on every affected site
- Review Editor-level and higher accounts and remove or downgrade unused privileged users
- Rotate WordPress user passwords and invalidate active sessions if exploitation is suspected
- Disable the ImportData module through the plugin's module toggle page until patching is complete
Patch Information
The vendor addresses the vulnerability in Infility Global version 2.15.20. Site operators should upgrade through the WordPress plugin updater or by replacing the plugin directory with the patched release. Confirm the installed version under Plugins → Installed Plugins after upgrade.
Workarounds
- Disable the Infility Global plugin entirely if the patch cannot be applied immediately
- Restrict access to wp-admin by IP allowlist at the web server or WAF layer to limit exposure
- Deploy WAF rules that block SQL keywords and time-delay functions in orderby and order query parameters
# WAF rule example: block SQL time-delay functions in sort parameters
SecRule ARGS:orderby|ARGS:order "@rx (?i)(sleep|benchmark|waitfor|pg_sleep)\s*\(" \
"id:1026784,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'Infility Global SQLi attempt (CVE-2026-7842)'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
