WordPress Core SQL Injection (CVE-2026-60137) Chained for RCE

Overview

CVE-2026-60137 is a SQL injection vulnerability affecting WordPress Core. While rated Medium severity on its own, it is critical because it can be chained with CVE-2026-63030 to enable unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE). This vulnerability is actively exploited, making immediate patching crucial for all WordPress administrators.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the WP_Query component of WordPress Core, specifically in how it handles the author__not_in parameter. WordPress versions 6.8.x before 6.8.6, 6.9.x before 6.9.5, and 7.0.x before 7.0.2 do not properly sanitize untrusted input passed to this parameter by a plugin or theme. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary SQL queries.

• Vulnerability Type: SQL Injection (CWE-89)
• Affected Versions:
  • WordPress >= 6.8, < 6.8.6
  • WordPress >= 6.9, < 6.9.5
  • WordPress >= 7.0, < 7.0.2
• Prerequisites: A plugin or theme must pass untrusted input to the author__not_in parameter of WP_Query.
• Attack Vector: Network (CVSS:3.1/AV:N)
• Impact: High confidentiality impact (CVSS:3.1/C:H), no integrity or availability impact on its own. When chained with CVE-2026-63030, it leads to RCE.
• CVSS 3.1 Score: 5.9 (MEDIUM)

Detection

• Web Server Logs: Monitor web server access logs (e.g., Apache, Nginx, IIS) for requests containing author__not_in= in the URI or POST body, especially when combined with common SQL injection payloads such as UNION SELECT, ' OR 1=1--, SLEEP(), or LOAD_FILE(). Look for unusual HTTP status codes or response sizes following such requests.
• Process Monitoring: On web servers, monitor for the web server process (e.g., httpd.exe, nginx.exe, php-fpm.exe, w3wp.exe) spawning unusual child processes, particularly command shells (cmd.exe, powershell.exe, sh, bash) or scripting interpreters, which could indicate successful RCE.
• File Integrity Monitoring (FIM): Implement FIM on WordPress installation directories. Alert on the creation or modification of new .php files in web-accessible directories (wp-content, wp-includes, plugin/theme directories), as this could indicate a webshell drop.
• Network Traffic Analysis: Look for outbound connections initiated by the web server process to unusual or known malicious IP addresses/domains, which might indicate command-and-control (C2) communication or data exfiltration post-exploitation.

Sigma Detection Rules

WordPress Core SQL Injection CVE-2026-60137 Attempt

title: WordPress Core SQL Injection CVE-2026-60137 Attempt
id: 9029a1b8-20d0-482a-97a6-407133f93282
status: experimental
description: Detects attempts to exploit CVE-2026-60137, a SQL injection vulnerability in WordPress Core's WP_Query author__not_in parameter.
logsource:
  category: webserver
detection:
  selection_uri:
    - cs-uri-query|contains: 'author__not_in='
    - c-uri|contains: 'author__not_in='
  selection_sqli_patterns:
    - cs-uri-query|contains:
        - ' UNION SELECT '
        - ' OR 1=1-- '
        - ' AND 1=1-- '
        - ' SLEEP('
        - ' WAITFOR DELAY '
        - ' LOAD_FILE('
        - ' CONCAT('
    - c-uri|contains:
        - ' UNION SELECT '
        - ' OR 1=1-- '
        - ' AND 1=1-- '
        - ' SLEEP('
        - ' WAITFOR DELAY '
        - ' LOAD_FILE('
        - ' CONCAT('
  condition: selection_uri and selection_sqli_patterns
level: high

Web Server Process Spawning Suspicious Shell (Windows)

title: Web Server Process Spawning Suspicious Shell (Windows)
id: 4b27f67d-93d3-4a11-a81d-66f688820c7a
status: experimental
description: Detects a web server process spawning a command shell, indicative of successful remote code execution, potentially via CVE-2026-60137 chaining.
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: sysmon
detection:
  selection_parent:
    ParentImage|endswith:
      - '\php-fpm.exe'
      - '\httpd.exe'
      - '\nginx.exe'
      - '\w3wp.exe'
  selection_child:
    Image|endswith:
      - '\cmd.exe'
      - '\powershell.exe'
      - '\pwsh.exe'
  condition: selection_parent and selection_child
level: critical

Web Server Process Creating Suspicious PHP File (Windows)

title: Web Server Process Creating Suspicious PHP File (Windows)
id: 7e7f8e1a-5b0c-4d3e-8f9a-2c1d0e6f7b8c
status: experimental
description: Detects a web server process creating a new PHP file in a web-accessible directory, which could indicate a webshell drop after successful exploitation.
logsource:
  product: windows
  service: sysmon
  definition: 'Requires Sysmon EventID 11 (FileCreate) to be enabled.'
detection:
  selection_process:
    Image|endswith:
      - '\php-fpm.exe'
      - '\httpd.exe'
      - '\nginx.exe'
      - '\w3wp.exe'
  selection_file:
    TargetFilename|endswith: '.php'
    TargetFilename|contains:
      - '\wp-content\uploads\'
      - '\wp-content\plugins\'
      - '\wp-content\themes\'
      - '\html\'
      - '\www\'
  condition: selection_process and selection_file
level: high

Mitigations

1. Patch Immediately: Update all affected WordPress installations to the latest patched versions: 6.8.6, 6.9.5, 7.0.2, or newer. This is the most critical step to prevent exploitation.
2. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy and configure a WAF to detect and block common SQL injection patterns, specifically targeting the author__not_in parameter in WordPress requests. Ensure rules are updated to cover known exploitation patterns for this CVE.
3. Review Plugins and Themes: Audit all third-party and custom WordPress plugins and themes. Prioritize those that interact with WP_Query or user-supplied input for author__not_in to ensure proper input sanitization and validation are in place.
4. Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure the web server process and its associated PHP processes run with the minimum necessary privileges to limit the impact of successful exploitation.

References

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-60137
• https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-fpp7-x2x2-2mjf
• https://wordpress.org/news/2026/07/wordpress-7-0-2-release/
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-60137
• https://www.wiz.io/blog/wp2shell-cve-2026-63030-cve-2026-60137

Indicators of Compromise

No public IOCs available at time of writing.

MITRE ATT&CK

• T1190 — Exploit Public-Facing Application
• T1505.003 — Web Shell
• T1140 — Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information
• T1087 — Account Discovery
• T1059 — Command and Scripting Interpreter
• T1083 — File and Directory Discovery
• T1552.001 — Credentials In Files
• T1059.004 — Unix Shell
• T1078 — Valid Accounts
• T1068 — Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
• T1027 — Obfuscated Files or Information
• T1027.002 — Software Packing
• T1071.001 — Web Protocols
• T1136 — Create Account
• T1018 — Remote System Discovery
• T1046 — Network Service Discovery