Description

Unauthenticated SQL Injection in NGG Smart Image Search < 4.0.0 versions.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-19T13:18:06.997Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-19T13:18:06.997Z",
  "executiveSummary": "An unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in NGG Smart Image Search versions prior to 4.0.0. This security flaw originates from improper sanitization and validation of user-supplied input before it is concatenated into database queries executed by the application backend.\nThe vulnerability allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to manipulate query logic arbitrarily by injecting malicious SQL payloads through vulnerable input vectors exposed over the network. Successful exploitation of this flaw can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive database contents, including application data, configuration settings, and user credentials.\nDepending on the underlying database configuration and database user privileges, an attacker may also be able to execute administrative operations, read or write local files on the hosting server, or achieve remote code execution. The risk implications are critical, as the vulnerability requires no prior authentication, interaction, or privileged access, lowering the barrier to entry for potential threat actors.\nOrganizations utilizing the affected software are at high risk of data exfiltration and complete system compromise if public-facing endpoints are left unpatched. Remediation requires immediate action to update the plugin to version 4.0.0 or later, where input sanitization controls and parameterized queries are properly implemented.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as an SQL Injection (SQLi) flaw residing within the query construction logic of NGG Smart Image Search versions less than 4.0.0. The root cause of the issue stems from the direct inclusion of untrusted HTTP request parameters into database query strings without adequate parameterization, escaping, or strict type casting.\nThe vulnerable component processes search queries submitted by users via unauthenticated HTTP requests. Because the input parameters are not properly handled by the database abstraction layer using prepared statements, an attacker can append malicious SQL syntax directly to the query execution flow. This alters the intended logic of the SQL statement, enabling unauthorized data retrieval and manipulation.\nThe attack flow proceeds as follows: First, an unauthenticated remote attacker identifies the vulnerable search parameter exposed by the application over the network. Second, the attacker crafts a specialized HTTP request containing a malicious SQL payload designed to extract database contents via techniques such as Union-based SQL injection, Error-based injection, or Boolean/Time-based blind inference. Third, the application receives the request, processes the input without validation, and concatenates the tainted string into the backend database query.\nUpon execution by the database management system, the injected SQL commands are processed alongside the legitimate query logic. The database returns the manipulated result set, which may include sensitive records extracted from internal database tables. Depending on the database privileges associated with the application connection, the attacker can leverage this access to perform post-exploitation activities such as dumping user credential hashes, modifying application data, or escalating privileges within the database environment.\nThe vulnerability requires no authentication or special privileges, exposing the application to any network-adjacent or remote attacker capable of reaching the vulnerable endpoint. Exploitation is fully automated through standard vulnerability scanners and custom scripts."
}