Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a high-severity SQL injection issue in a WordPress events shortcode plugin. A highly privileged user could interact with the vulnerable plugin in a way that risks sensitive database data exposure and limited availability impact. The bundle does not show confirmed exploitation or a named fixed version.
Executive priority
Treat this as a near-term WordPress risk, especially on public or business-critical sites. Prioritize inventory and remediation, but do not assume emergency active exploitation from the supplied evidence alone.
Technical view
CVE-2023-52142 is CWE-89 SQL injection in Cool Plugins Events Shortcodes For The Events Calendar, affecting versions through 2.3.1. CVSS 3.1 is 7.6 with network access, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, changed scope, high confidentiality impact, and low availability impact.
Likely exposure
WordPress sites are likely exposed if they have Events Shortcodes For The Events Calendar, package template-events-calendar, installed at version 2.3.1 or earlier. The CVSS privileges requirement suggests exploitation requires high-privileged access, reducing broad unauthenticated exposure but still creating serious insider or compromised-admin risk.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not identify active exploitation, public exploit availability, or CISA KEV listing. The risk is still material because SQL injection can expose database contents, and WordPress administrative accounts are frequent targets for credential theft.
Researcher notes
Key evidence is limited to CVE metadata and Patchstack’s vulnerability entry. The supplied CVSS vector indicates authenticated high-privilege exploitation, confidentiality-focused impact, and no integrity impact. Do not infer affected companion plugins, exact vulnerable parameters, or fixed versions without vendor confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the affected plugin and version.
- Check Patchstack and vendor guidance for a fixed version or official mitigation.
- Update the plugin if a vendor-supported fixed release is available.
- Disable or remove the plugin where no trusted fix is available.
- Restrict high-privilege WordPress accounts to necessary users only.
- Monitor database and WordPress logs for unusual plugin-related errors.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether template-events-calendar is installed on each WordPress instance.
- Record installed plugin versions and flag version 2.3.1 or earlier.
- Review administrator accounts for unexpected users or recent privilege changes.
- Check security monitoring for suspicious database errors or anomalous admin activity.
- Verify remediation by confirming the plugin is updated, disabled, or removed.
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-2023-52142 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
- 7.6 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/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:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L2.34.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.6HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
Source materials
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.