Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-36916 affects the premium Hide My WP WordPress plugin through version 6.2.3. An unauthenticated attacker could abuse spoofable IP-address headers to influence a database query, creating SQL injection risk. Business impact is potentially serious because compromised WordPress database integrity can affect site content, user data, and availability.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for any internet-facing WordPress site using this plugin. Treat confirmed vulnerable installations as urgent because exploitation is unauthenticated and could affect database integrity, even though active exploitation is not confirmed in the supplied sources.
Technical view
The plugin function hmwp_get_user_ip reads client IP data from multiple headers, including spoofable headers such as X-Forwarded-For. Source data indicates that untrusted header content can be inserted into a SQL query, causing CWE-89 SQL injection. CVSS 3.1 is 8.6, with network access, low complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the wpWave Hide My WP plugin at version 6.2.3 or earlier. Internet-facing WordPress deployments are the main concern because the attack vector is network-accessible and unauthenticated.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The issue is still high risk because exploitation requires no authentication or user interaction, and the vulnerable input is reachable through request headers.
Researcher notes
Evidence identifies the vulnerable IP retrieval path and spoofable header source but does not provide exploit telemetry, proof-of-concept details, or a named fixed version in the supplied bundle. Validate exposure by version and deployment context, then review logs without attempting exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Hide My WP to a supported version newer than 6.2.3, confirming vendor guidance.
- Disable the plugin until updated if immediate patching is not possible.
- Normalize or strip untrusted forwarded IP headers at trusted proxy boundaries.
- Review WordPress and database integrity if the vulnerable version was internet-exposed.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all WordPress sites for Hide My WP and record installed versions.
- Confirm no production site runs Hide My WP 6.2.3 or earlier.
- Review web logs for suspicious or malformed client IP headers.
- Check plugin vendor and Patchstack guidance for the latest remediation details.
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-2021-36916 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
- 8.6 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L
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
1 official scoreWe 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:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L3.94.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.6HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://codecanyon.net/item/hide-my-wp-amazing-security-plugin-for-wordpress/4177158CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://patchstack.com/hide-my-wp-vulnerabilities-fixed/CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/hide-my-wp/wordpress-hide-my-wp-premium-plugin-6-2-3-sql-injection-sqli-vulnerabilityCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.