Tampered Ninja Tables Pro 5.2.11 installs a persistent backdoor
A tampered Ninja Tables Pro 5.2.11 build distributed through a decommissioned vendor update server introduced app/Library/updater/NinjaTableDataSync.php. The malicious code exposed a backdoor REST API, planted persistent PHP in mu-plugins and uploads, installed passwordless administrator access and registered scheduled tasks that survive plugin removal. This is a supply-chain compromise rather than an ordinary request-validation flaw.
- Component
- Ninja Tables Pro
- Plugin slug
ninja-tables- Affected
- 5.2.11
- Safe version
5.2.13- Published
- Aug 13, 2026
This CVE was published Aug 13, 2026 and is one of 17 known issues for this plugin.
Update, patch or deactivate.
Replace the plugin with a vendor-verified clean 5.2.13-or-later build and follow the vendor's incident-response checks. Updating or deleting the plugin alone does not remove planted persistence; inspect mu-plugins, uploads, scheduled tasks and administrator accounts, rotate credentials, and preserve evidence.
A safe version is available, so updating to that version or later is the preferred remediation. If an immediate update is not practical, consider a targeted application patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality.
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
Ninja Tables Pro 5.2.11 contains an embedded malicious code vulnerability introduced via a tampered plugin build served through a decommissioned update server. The tampered build introduced a rogue PHP file (app/Library/updater/NinjaTableDataSync.php) that established a backdoor REST API endpoint, dropped persistent PHP files in mu-plugins and uploads directories, installed a passwordless administrator account, and registered scheduled tasks that survived plugin removal.
CVE / CNA vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X