Summary
CVE-2026-59549 is a critical unauthenticated SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) in the rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress plugin, developed by rtCamp, affecting all versions up to and including 4.7.10. With a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.3 (Critical), the flaw can be exploited remotely by any unauthenticated attacker to extract sensitive data — including credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), and API keys — directly from the underlying WordPress database. A patched version (4.7.11) has been released and immediate upgrade is strongly recommended.
Technical details
- Root cause: Insufficient sanitization and improper neutralization of user-supplied input in SQL query construction within the plugin (CWE-89 — Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).
- Trigger conditions: The vulnerability is reachable via unauthenticated HTTP requests — no login, session token, or prior access of any kind is required.
- Attack vector: Remote, over the network; low attack complexity; no user interaction needed; scope is changed (the impact extends beyond the plugin itself to the underlying WordPress database).
- Impact: High confidentiality impact — an attacker can enumerate and exfiltrate arbitrary data from the WordPress database (e.g., hashed passwords, user email addresses, session tokens, stored API keys). The CVSS vector also indicates a low availability impact, consistent with potential database load or partial disruption from injected queries.
Affected software
- rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress (plugin slug:
buddypress-media) — all versions ≤ 4.7.10
Severity
- CVSS v3.1 Base Score: 9.3 (Critical)
- Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
Mitigation and recommended actions
- Immediate — apply the vendor patch: Upgrade to rtMedia version 4.7.11 or later. The patched release is available directly from the WordPress.org plugin repository. Administrators can update via the WordPress dashboard under Plugins → Updates.
- If immediate patching is not feasible: Consider temporarily deactivating the rtMedia plugin until the upgrade can be applied. Additionally, restrict public-facing network access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints where operationally possible using web application firewall (WAF) rules or network controls.
IONIX Status
The IONIX research team is tracking ongoing exploitation attempts and recommends immediate patching. Potentially affected assets are outlined in this post.

