# CVE-2026-16588: WP Directory Kit blind SQL injection in order_by parameter

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16588-wp-directory-kit-blind-sql-injection-in-order-by-parameter  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-16. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-16588 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-09-16

The WP Directory Kit plugin for WordPress allows authenticated users with custom-level access to perform blind SQL injection attacks via a poorly sanitized parameter. An attacker with sufficient privileges could extract sensitive data from the WordPress database, potentially exposing customer information, admin credentials, or other confidential business data.

Technologies: [WP Directory Kit](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/wp-directory-kit). Vendors: [WP Directory Kit](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wp-directory-kit).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-16588 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-16588 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-16588?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 16 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** WP Directory Kit up to and including 1.5.4.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-16588?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-16588 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-16588?** Check whether you run WP Directory Kit at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

This is a blind SQL injection vulnerability in the WP Directory Kit plugin's handling of the 'order_by' parameter. The vulnerable code fails to properly escape and prepare user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. Attack requires authentication with custom-level access or above, meaning it is limited to authenticated users with specific WordPress roles. An attacker can inject SQL statements to extract data from the database without necessarily receiving direct output. No patches were available at the time of advisory publication based on the referenced changeset.

## Affected products

- WP Directory Kit WP Directory Kit up to and including 1.5.4

## Timeline

- 2026-09-16: disclosed

## References

- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3626960](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3626960)
- [https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/561a54ac-d827-4bf0-a458-9199c4e9c182?source=cve](https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/561a54ac-d827-4bf0-a458-9199c4e9c182?source=cve)

## Related threats

- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in order parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118421-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection via main_field parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118420-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit unauthenticated data disclosure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118418-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in idfield parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-109197-the-wp-directory-kit-plugin-for-wordpress-is-vulnerable-to)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in data_fields_list parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16596-the-wp-directory-kit-plugin-for-wordpress-is-vulnerable-to)