Description

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in Automattic WooCommerce allows Blind SQL Injection. This issue affects WooCommerce: from n/a before 11.0.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.6",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-04T09:17:10.810Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-04T09:17:10.810Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is categorized as an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, specifically identified as a Blind SQL Injection flaw affecting the WooCommerce plugin by Automattic.\nThe flaw exists within versions of WooCommerce released prior to version 11.0. The vulnerability allows an unauthorized attacker to interact with the underlying database by injecting malicious SQL statements through unvalidated input fields.\nThe primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for unauthorized data exfiltration, as the blind nature of the attack allows an adversary to infer database contents bit-by-bit by monitoring application response behavior or timing delays.\nThis issue poses a significant security risk, as successful exploitation does not necessarily require high-level administrative privileges, potentially allowing remote attackers to compromise sensitive customer, order, or system configuration data stored within the WordPress database.\nThe vulnerability necessitates immediate attention, as it provides a vector for attackers to bypass standard input sanitization layers, thereby undermining the confidentiality and integrity of the entire e-commerce environment.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability stems from the insufficient neutralization of user-supplied data before it is incorporated into dynamic SQL queries within the WooCommerce codebase. In environments affected by this issue, specifically versions prior to 11.0, the application fails to utilize appropriate parameterized queries or prepared statements when handling specific inputs.\nRoot cause analysis indicates that dynamic query generation processes allow characters used for SQL syntax manipulation to be interpreted as executable commands by the database engine. Because this is a 'Blind' SQL Injection vulnerability, the application may not reflect the direct output of the query, but instead exhibits observable variations in application state, such as varying HTTP response times (time-based) or discrepancies in the rendered content based on Boolean conditions (Boolean-based).\nThe attack flow typically initiates with an adversary identifying an input vector—such as URL parameters, POST body data, or HTTP headers—that is processed by vulnerable WooCommerce internal functions. The attacker crafts a payload designed to evaluate a logical condition; for instance, a request might include an injection string that causes the database to perform a heavy computational task if a specific condition is met, or to return a generic response versus an error. By observing these changes, the attacker can systematically extract data from the database, such as administrator password hashes, table names, or customer sensitive information.\nExploitation does not inherently require prior authentication, though the specific entry point may dictate the required privileges. Given the nature of WordPress plugins, the vulnerability is exposed to the public network, enabling remote adversaries to probe the database iteratively. The impact of successful exploitation extends beyond simple data theft; if the database user permissions are overly permissive, an attacker might leverage these SQL injection primitives to escalate their capabilities, potentially leading to full site compromise, modification of order statuses, or the injection of malicious administrative users. The lack of proper input validation and sanitization, coupled with the reliance on concatenating user input directly into SQL strings, serves as the primary technical mechanism that enables this breach."
}