Summary
CVE-2026-18032 is an unauthenticated information disclosure vulnerability (CWE-200) in the WP Data Access WordPress plugin in all versions before 5.5.79. The plugin fails to validate column names supplied to one of its unauthenticated AJAX actions, allowing a remote attacker to read arbitrary database columns — including user password hashes — without authentication. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High).
Technical details
- Root cause: The plugin does not validate the column names it accepts on one of its unauthenticated AJAX actions, and the nonce protecting the action does not cover the column name parameter.
- Trigger conditions: An attacker sends a request to the vulnerable unauthenticated AJAX action specifying arbitrary database column names.
- Attack vector: Network; the action is reachable by unauthenticated remote attackers (Attack Complexity Low, no privileges or user interaction required).
- Impact: Disclosure of arbitrary database columns, including sensitive data such as user password hashes. Confidentiality impact is High; integrity and availability are not affected.
Affected software
- WP Data Access WordPress plugin: all versions before 5.5.79.
- Fixed in version 5.5.79.
Severity
- CVSS v3.1 base score: 7.5 (High)
- Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Mitigation and recommended actions
- Immediate: Update the WP Data Access plugin to version 5.5.79 or later.
- If no patch can be applied: Restrict access to the WordPress AJAX endpoint (
admin-ajax.php) at the network or WAF layer, and consider disabling the plugin until it can be updated.
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 HTTP response body:
wpdaApiSettings

