CVE-2026-5486: The Unlimited Elements for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'data[filter_search]' parameter in the get_cat_addons...

Description

The Unlimited Elements for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'data[filter_search]' parameter in the get_cat_addons AJAX action in versions up to and including 2.0.7. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and the use of deprecated escaping functions combined with direct string concatenation in SQL query construction. The vulnerability is exacerbated because the normalizeAjaxInputData() function calls stripslashes() on all user input, removing the protection provided by WordPress's wp_magic_quotes() function. Subsequently, the filter_search parameter is escaped using the deprecated wpdb->_escape() function and then directly concatenated into a LIKE clause without using prepared statements. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above (who can obtain a valid nonce through the Elementor editor), to inject arbitrary SQL commands and extract sensitive information from the database.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.49%

38.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-89

References

Timeline

Published: May 14, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-5486?

The Unlimited Elements for Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'data[filter_search]' parameter in the get_cat_addons AJAX action in versions up to and including 2.0.7. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and the use of deprecated escaping functions combined with direct string concatenation in SQL query construction. The vulnerability is exacerbated because the normalizeAjaxInputData() function calls stripslashes() on all user input, removing the protection provided by WordPress's wp_magic_quotes() function. Subsequently, the filter_search parameter is escaped using the deprecated wpdb->_escape() function and then directly concatenated into a LIKE clause without using prepared statements. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above (who can obtain a valid nonce through the Elementor editor), to inject arbitrary SQL commands and extract sensitive information from the database.

How severe is CVE-2026-5486?

CVE-2026-5486 has a CVSS score of 6.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.49% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-5486?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.