Description

Subscriber SQL Injection in Buddyboss Platform <= 3.1.0 versions.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-10-06T09:17:49.590Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-10-06T09:17:49.590Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A SQL injection vulnerability exists in BuddyBoss Platform versions 3.1.0 and earlier, allowing authenticated users with Subscriber-level privileges to execute arbitrary SQL queries against the underlying database.\nThis flaw occurs due to insufficient sanitization and parameterized query implementation within specific platform components.\nSuccessful exploitation permits unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of database contents, and potential escalation of privileges.\nThe vulnerability is critical as it bypasses standard application-level access controls by interacting directly with the database layer.\nImpact includes full database compromise, unauthorized retrieval of user credentials, and potential remote code execution depending on database configuration and server permissions.\nExploitation requires authenticated access to the application, lowering the bar for attackers who have successfully registered as standard platform subscribers.\nNo complex social engineering or advanced technical bypasses are required once the attacker has authenticated, making this a high-risk vector for site compromise.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides in the BuddyBoss Platform's handling of user-supplied input during request processing. In affected versions (<= 3.1.0), the application fails to adequately validate or escape parameters passed into database queries within specific modules of the platform.\nRoot Cause: The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command. User-controllable input fields, which are processed by server-side scripts to interact with the WordPress database (e.g., via $wpdb class methods), are passed directly into SQL statements without the use of proper preparation or escaping mechanisms such as $wpdb->prepare().\nAttack Flow: An attacker with Subscriber-level access crafts a malicious HTTP request targeting the vulnerable endpoint or parameter. The input contains SQL injection payloads designed to manipulate the query structure. Because the application logic fails to sanitize this input, the payload is concatenated directly into the query string executed by the database management system.\nPayload Behavior: By injecting malicious SQL keywords (e.g., UNION SELECT, SLEEP(), or stacked queries), the attacker can force the database to return unintended results or execute administrative tasks. For example, an attacker could extract hashes from the users table, alter the configuration of BuddyBoss components, or inject malicious records to create administrative users.\nAuthentication and Privileges: The vulnerability is exploitable by any authenticated user with the 'Subscriber' role. This low privilege requirement is significant because BuddyBoss platforms often allow public registration, providing an easy entry point for malicious actors.\nNetwork Exposure: The vulnerability is reachable over any standard network exposure where the application is accessible. Since the attack is performed via HTTP/HTTPS, it is inherently network-exposed and bypasses standard firewall protections that do not implement deep packet inspection for SQLi patterns.\nPost-Exploitation Impact: Beyond mere data exfiltration, a successful SQL injection in a WordPress environment often leads to a full system compromise. An attacker may leverage the ability to read/write to the database to modify the 'options' table, potentially disabling security plugins, changing site settings, or redirecting traffic to malicious domains. If the database user has sufficient filesystem permissions, an attacker might utilize functions like LOAD_FILE or INTO OUTFILE to plant a web shell on the server, resulting in full remote code execution."
}