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CVE-2026-22850 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in the Koko Analytics plugin for WordPress versions prior to 2.1.3 . The vulnerability is rooted in three separate flaws that chain together for a powerful attack. First, the public tracking endpoint in `collect.php` accepts unauthenticated input for the path (pa) and referrer (r) parameters and stores these values verbatim in the database without any sanitization . Second, the admin export functionality in `Data_Export.php` reads these stored values and writes them directly into SQL INSERT statements without escaping . An attacker can inject a crafted payload like `”),(‘999′,’x’);DROP TABLE wp_users;–` as a path value. When an administrator later exports the analytics data, this payload breaks out of the intended value list and becomes part of the generated SQL export file . Third, the import handler in `Data_Import.php` reads any uploaded `.sql` file using file_get_contents, performs only a superficial header check, splits the content on semicolons, and executes each statement via `$wpdb->query()` with no validation of the query content . This means when an administrator imports the booby-trapped export file, the embedded `DROP TABLE` command executes on the WordPress database. Additionally, any authenticated user with the `manage_koko_analytics` capability can directly upload a malicious `.sql` file and have it executed through the same insecure import process . Successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise, including deletion of core tables like `wp_users` or insertion of a backdoor administrator account .
Platform: WordPress plugin
Version: Prior 2.1.3
Vulnerability: SQL injection
Severity: HIGH
date: 19/01/2026
Prediction: March 2026
What Undercode Say:
Analytics:
The vulnerability can be triggered by sending a GET request to the tracking endpoint with a malicious `pa` parameter. The following `curl` command demonstrates how an unauthenticated attacker could inject a payload that would later execute when the export file is imported.
curl -X GET "http://victim-site.com/wp-content/plugins/koko-analytics/src/Resources/functions/collect.php?pa='),('999','x');DELETE+FROM+wp_users;--"
This command injects a SQL snippet that attempts to delete all records from the `wp_users` table. The payload is stored in the analytics database. When an administrator exports the data, the unescaped value becomes:
INSERT INTO table (col1, col2) VALUES ('normal_data', ''),('999','x');DELETE FROM wp_users;--')
Exploit:
An attacker has two primary exploitation paths :
- Two-stage injection: The attacker injects malicious SQL via the tracking endpoint. The attacker then socially engineers or waits for an administrator to export and then re-import the analytics data, at which point the payload executes.
- Direct upload: If the attacker has an account with the `manage_koko_analytics` capability (e.g., a contributor or editor), they can directly upload a crafted `.sql` file through the import feature to execute arbitrary commands immediately.
Protection from this CVE:
- Immediately update the Koko Analytics plugin to version 2.1.3 or later, which contains the patch .
- Until patched, disable the analytics export and import functionality by removing the following capabilities from all user roles:
add_filter( 'user_has_cap', function( $allcaps, $caps, $args ) { $allcaps['manage_koko_analytics'] = false; return $allcaps; }, 10, 3 ); - Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests containing common SQL injection patterns in the `pa` and `r` parameters .
Impact:
Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the WordPress database. This can lead to:
– Complete data breach: Extraction of all user data, including password hashes and emails .
– Privilege escalation: Insertion of a new administrator user, granting the attacker full control over the WordPress site .
– Denial of service: Deletion of critical tables such as wp_users, wp_posts, or wp_options, rendering the site inoperable .
– Persistence: Backdoor creation for long-term unauthorized access .
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Sources:
Reported By: nvd.nist.gov
Extra Source Hub:
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