CVE-2022-21661

CVE-2022-21661 is a high-severity vulnerability in Wordpress with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 98% places it in the 100th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-89.

Key facts

Description

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MariaDB database. Due to improper sanitization in WP_Query, there can be cases where SQL injection is possible through plugins or themes that use it in a certain way. This has been patched in WordPress version 5.8.3. Older affected versions are also fixed via security release, that go back till 3.7.37. We strongly recommend that you keep auto-updates enabled. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-21661?
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MariaDB database. Due to improper sanitization in WP_Query, there can be cases where SQL injection is possible through plugins or themes that use it in a certain way. This has been patched in WordPress version 5.8.3. Older affected versions are also fixed via security release, that go back till 3.7.37. We strongly recommend that you keep auto-updates enabled. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2022-21661?
CVE-2022-21661 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-21661 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 98% (100th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-21661?
CVE-2022-21661 primarily affects Wordpress. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-21661?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2022-21661 published?
CVE-2022-21661 was published on 2022-01-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

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Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE: