CVE-2026-9834
What it is
The WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to OS Command Injection in all versions up to and including 7.11 via the `wp_db_exclude_table` parameter. This is due to the direct concatenation of user-supplied `$_POST['wp_db_exclude_table']` values into the `mysqldump` shell command string in the `mysqldump()` function of `includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php` without wrapping them in `escapeshellarg()`—every other argument in the same command (DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, host, filename, DB_NAME) is properly escaped, making the exclude-table values the sole exception—and because the only applied filtering, `sanitize_text_field()` via `recursive_sanitize_text_field()`, strips HTML tags but leaves shell metacharacters such as `;`, `|`, `` ` ``, and `$()` intact. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level access and above, to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the server, potentially enabling full remote code execution. The injection is stored: malicious values submitted through the plugin settings form are persisted to the WordPress options table via `update_option('wp_db_exclude_table')` and later retrieved with `get_option()` and passed unsanitized to `shell_exec()` whenever a backup operation runs.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network with an admin-level account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.
- Exploit odds
- 2.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 2.7% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 7.2 HIGH (CVSS).
- Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 2.7% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-77 · Command injection
- Record status
- Deferred
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.2
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-9834.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-9834. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.10/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L216
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.10/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L2644
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.10/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L2654
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.11/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L216
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.11/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L2644
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-database-backup/tags/7.11/includes/admin/class-wpdb-admin.php#L2654
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3574273%40wp-database-backup&new=3574273%40wp-database-backup&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0a97a217-b00b-4268-a472-8d62ae1d18e3?source=cve