Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress site using Simply Poll 1.4.1 may let an unauthenticated visitor query sensitive database data through a vulnerable poll request. This is high urgency for affected public sites because WordPress databases often contain user, configuration, and content data.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority internet-facing WordPress exposure. Prioritize rapid inventory, removal or disablement, and log review for affected sites. Do not assume active exploitation without new evidence.
Technical view
CVE-2016-20062 is a CWE-89 SQL injection in Simply Poll 1.4.1 for WordPress. The source bundle identifies unauthenticated injection through the pollid POST parameter in the AJAX poll-results path. CVSS v4.0 is 8.8, with high confidentiality impact and low attack complexity.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to WordPress installations running the Simply Poll plugin version 1.4.1 with the vulnerable AJAX functionality reachable from the internet. The bundle provides no CPEs and no fixed-version details.
Exploitation context
A public ExploitDB reference and VulnCheck advisory are cited, so exploit information exists publicly. The bundle says KEV is false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Sources do not name a fixed version, maintained release, or CPE mapping. The most defensible validation path is asset discovery, plugin-version confirmation, and retrospective log review. Avoid over-claiming exploitation beyond public exploit availability.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for Simply Poll and identify version 1.4.1.
- Disable or remove Simply Poll 1.4.1 until vendor guidance confirms a safe version.
- Check the WordPress plugin page and vendor sources for maintained fixes or replacement guidance.
- Review WordPress database credentials and rotate exposed secrets if compromise is suspected.
- Consider a supported alternative plugin if Simply Poll is unmaintained.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Simply Poll 1.4.1 is installed on any public WordPress site.
- Review web logs for unusual unauthenticated poll-results AJAX requests and abnormal pollid values.
- Check database logs for suspicious query errors or unexpected read activity around poll requests.
- Verify the vulnerable plugin is removed, disabled, or replaced in production.
- Document findings and remediation status for each WordPress instance.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-89: Database access and collection lookup
Injection into data stores can inform collection, data access, and exfiltration detection reviews. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2016-20062 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N3.94.2VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.2HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ExploitDB-40971CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- Official Product HomepageCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- Official Product HomepageCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- VulnCheck Advisory: Simply Poll 1.4.1 Plugin for WordPress SQL InjectionCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.