rtMedia exposes blind SQL injection through shortcode requests
rtMedia through 4.7.11 permits unauthenticated time-based blind SQL injection through the nested compare parameter. On a public page containing an rtMedia shortcode, setting rtmedia_shortcode causes RTMediaQuery::query() to merge request data while checking only top-level keys, allowing compare to reach an unprepared query and disclose database information.
- Component
- rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress
- Plugin slug
buddypress-media- Affected
- <= 4.7.11
- Safe version
- See mitigation notes
- Published
- Sep 12, 2026
This CVE was published Sep 12, 2026 and is one of 8 known issues for this plugin.
Update, patch or deactivate.
No fixed release is confirmed in the authoritative export. Remove rtMedia shortcodes from public pages or deactivate the plugin until a confirmed fix is available. The application-level fix must allowlist nested query fields and operators and bind values through prepared statements rather than concatenating request data.
No confirmed safe version is listed. Consider a vendor-supported patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality while you assess the risk.
Deactivate only when warranted by your risk profile, or when advised by your hosting provider in the limited circumstances where the vulnerability cannot otherwise be mitigated. If you’re unsure which action is appropriate, contact Fused or your hosting provider for guidance.
Technical description
The rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based blind SQL Injection via the 'compare' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 4.7.11 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database. This is exploitable on any public page containing an rtMedia shortcode (e.g., [rtmedia_gallery]) when the rtmedia_shortcode GET parameter is set, because RTMediaQuery::query() merges $_REQUEST into the internal query while only validating top-level array keys, allowing the nested 'compare' subvalue to reach the vulnerable sink without authentication.
CVE / CNA vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N