CVE-2026-3523
CWE-89Published: March 5, 2026· Updated: Mar 5, 2026
Official Description
The Apocalypse Meow plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'type' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 22.1.0. This is due to a flawed logical operator in the type validation check on line 261 of ajax.php — the condition uses `&&` (AND) instead of `||` (OR), causing the `in_array()` validation to be short-circuited and never evaluated for any non-empty type value. Combined with `stripslashes_deep()` being called on line 101 which removes `wp_magic_quotes()` protection, attacker-controlled single quotes pass through unescaped into the SQL query on line 298. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-3523 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 4.9.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-89): SQL injection vulnerabilities allow attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially exposing or modifying sensitive data.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (10)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-89)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-3523 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts