Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a high-risk SQL injection in the Single Personal Message WordPress plugin version 1.0.3. An authenticated user could abuse the message parameter to query the site database and expose sensitive information such as credentials or configuration data.
Executive priority
Treat this as a priority for any WordPress environment using the affected plugin. The business risk is unauthorized database access by an authenticated user, especially where customer, credential, or configuration data is stored.
Technical view
CVE-2016-20063 is CWE-89 SQL injection in Single Personal Message 1.0.3. The provided CVSS v4.0 score is 7.1, with network reachability, low complexity, low privileges, and no user interaction. Sources describe injection through the message parameter from the plugin admin interface.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites that have Single Personal Message version 1.0.3 installed and reachable by authenticated users with access to the vulnerable plugin/admin workflow.
Exploitation context
The bundle includes an ExploitDB reference, so public exploit information exists. The CVE is not marked KEV, and the provided sources do not establish active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports authenticated SQL injection via the message parameter in version 1.0.3. The source bundle does not name a patched version, affected role threshold, or active exploitation status, so validation should avoid assumptions beyond installed version and reachable workflow.
Mitigation direction
- Identify any WordPress sites running Single Personal Message 1.0.3.
- Disable or remove the plugin if no maintained fixed version is confirmed.
- Check WordPress.org, CVE, and vendor guidance for update status.
- Restrict plugin/admin access to trusted accounts only.
- Rotate credentials if database exposure or account compromise is suspected.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress plugins and confirm whether version 1.0.3 is installed.
- Review user roles with access to the plugin admin interface.
- Check web and WordPress logs for suspicious plugin page requests.
- Review database and account records for unexpected changes.
- Confirm current vendor or WordPress.org remediation guidance before closing.
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-2016-20063 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
- 7.1 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/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:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N2.84.2VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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-40870CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- Official Product HomepageCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- VulnCheck Advisory: Single Personal Message 1.0.3 WordPress Plugin 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.