Summary
CVE-2026-13596 is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability in the Participants Database WordPress plugin in all versions before 2.7.8.4. The plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape a user-supplied parameter before using it in a SQL query, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands without authentication. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical).
Technical details
- Root cause: The plugin does not properly sanitize and escape a user-supplied parameter before using it in a SQL query (CWE-89: SQL Injection).
- Trigger conditions: The flaw is reachable through the plugin’s List Search functionality and requires no authentication.
- Attack vector: Network — a remote, unauthenticated attacker sends crafted input to a vulnerable site with low attack complexity and no user interaction.
- Impact: Execution of arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, enabling data exfiltration and manipulation of stored data.
Affected software
- Participants Database WordPress plugin: all versions before 2.7.8.4.
Severity
- CVSS v3.1 base score: 9.1 (Critical)
- Vector string:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Mitigation and recommended actions
- Immediate: Upgrade the Participants Database plugin to version 2.7.8.4 or later.
- If no patch can be applied: Restrict or disable public access to the plugin’s search functionality, and place a web application firewall in front of the site to filter SQL injection attempts targeting plugin parameters.
How IONIX identifies potentially affected assets
IONIX matches the following signals against data already collected when it crawled the asset; identifying the technology sends no request beyond that crawl.
- Raw response body:
/wp-content/plugins/participants-database/

