Description
Before version 4.8.2, WordPress mishandled % characters and additional placeholder values in $wpdb->prepare, and thus did not properly address the possibility of plugins and themes enabling SQL injection attacks.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | wordpress | 4.8.2+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | wordpress | 4.8.2+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | wordpress | 4.8.2+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 9 | wordpress | 4.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u1 | DSA-3997-1 |
| Debian 8 | wordpress | 4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u15 | DSA-3997-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 7 | wordpress | 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u17 | DLA-1151-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | wordpress | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 2
- DSA-3997-1 wordpress - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-1151-1 wordpress - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- DSA-3997 vendor-advisory
- https://medium.com/websec/wordpress-sqli-poc-f1827c20bf8e
- 100912 vdb-entry
- 1039553 vdb-entry
- https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress/commit/fc930d3daed1c3acef010d04acc2c5de93cd18ec
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/41470
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/41496
- https://wordpress.org/news/2017/09/wordpress-4-8-2-security-and-maintenance-release/
- https://medium.com/websec/wordpress-sqli-bbb2afcc8e94
- https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress/commit/70b21279098fc973eae803693c0705a548128e48