CVE-2026-4798 - Avada Builder Plugin SQL Injection Vulnerability

The Avada Builder plugin for WordPress is susceptible to a time-based SQL injection vulnerability (CVE-2026-4798) affecting versions up to and including 3.15.1. This flaw stems from inadequate escaping of the user-supplied ‘product_order’ parameter and insufficient preparation of the existing SQL query. Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL queries, potentially enabling them to extract sensitive information directly from the WordPress database. The vulnerability is contingent on a specific condition: WooCommerce must have been previously used and subsequently deactivated on the target WordPress instance. This precondition limits the attack surface but represents a significant risk for affected sites.

Attack Chain

1. An unauthenticated attacker identifies a WordPress site using a vulnerable version of the Avada Builder plugin (<= 3.15.1) where WooCommerce was previously installed and then deactivated.
2. The attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request targeting a page that utilizes the vulnerable ‘product_order’ parameter.
3. The attacker injects a time-based SQL injection payload within the ‘product_order’ parameter of the HTTP request. The payload is designed to pause the database server’s response for a specified duration based on the result of a conditional SQL query.
4. The WordPress application, using the vulnerable Avada Builder plugin, processes the attacker’s request and incorporates the malicious SQL payload into a database query without proper sanitization.
5. The injected SQL code is executed by the database server. The time-based element of the injection causes the server to pause if the injected conditions are met.
6. The attacker monitors the response time from the server. A delayed response indicates a successful condition in the injected SQL query.
7. Through iterative requests with varying SQL injection payloads and observation of response times, the attacker is able to extract sensitive information from the database, such as usernames, passwords, email addresses, and other confidential data.
8. The attacker uses the compromised credentials or data for further malicious activities, such as gaining administrative access to the WordPress site or selling the data on the dark web.

Impact

Successful exploitation of this SQL injection vulnerability (CVE-2026-4798) can lead to the complete compromise of a WordPress website’s database. Attackers can extract sensitive information, including user credentials, financial data, and other confidential information. This can result in significant financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities for the website owner. The number of affected websites is potentially large, given the widespread use of the Avada Builder plugin. The vulnerability’s dependence on the previous use of WooCommerce narrows the attack surface, but compromised websites are at significant risk.

Recommendation

• Upgrade the Avada Builder plugin to the latest version (greater than 3.15.1) to patch CVE-2026-4798.
• Deploy the Sigma rule “Detect CVE-2026-4798 Exploitation - Avada Builder SQL Injection” to your SIEM to detect potential exploitation attempts.
• Monitor web server logs for suspicious requests containing SQL injection payloads in the ‘product_order’ parameter.