Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A remotely reachable attacker may exploit vulnerable NGG Smart Image Search versions without logging in or involving a user. Successful SQL injection could expose sensitive WordPress database information and cause limited service disruption. The supplied CVSS score is 9.3, making rapid action appropriate.
Executive priority
Treat this as an urgent remediation item for public WordPress sites. Identify affected installations immediately and update, disable, or remove the plugin. Consider incident review where vulnerable versions were internet-accessible, while recognizing that active exploitation is not established.
Technical view
CVE-2026-73185 is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability, CWE-89, affecting NGG Smart Image Search versions below 4.0.0. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates network access, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, high confidentiality impact, no integrity impact, limited availability impact, and changed scope.
Likely exposure
Internet-accessible WordPress sites running NGG Smart Image Search below version 4.0.0 are the likely exposure group. The bundle’s affected-version metadata also says “n/a” and defaults to unaffected, so administrators should verify installed versions carefully.
Exploitation context
The supplied sources do not establish active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV in the bundle. They also provide no public exploit details, affected endpoint, or attack telemetry.
Researcher notes
The bundle supports unauthenticated SQL injection and the CVSS characteristics, but does not identify the vulnerable parameter, code path, prerequisite configuration, discovery credit, or exploitation evidence. The contradictory affected-version metadata reduces certainty; use the explicit “below 4.0.0” statement pending clarification.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade NGG Smart Image Search to version 4.0.0 or later after confirming vendor guidance.
- Disable or remove the plugin until it can be safely updated.
- Restrict public access to affected functionality where operationally feasible.
- Review database credentials and minimize the WordPress account’s database privileges.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all WordPress sites for the NGG Smart Image Search plugin.
- Confirm each installed plugin version is 4.0.0 or later.
- Verify the plugin is disabled or removed where updating is unavailable.
- Review web and database logs for unusual requests, query errors, or unexpected data access.
- Monitor Patchstack and CVE records for revised affected-version or exploitation information.
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-2026-73185 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
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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.
SSVC decision data
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:C/C:H/I:N/A:L3.94.7PatchstackVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.3CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
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.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/ngg-smart-image-search/vulnerability/wordpress-ngg-smart-image-search-plugin-4-0-0-sql-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cveCVE reference, Patchstack · vdb-entry
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.