CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-93953NVD status: Deferred

Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-93953 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command vulnerability in Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone from Softaculous, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. Affected Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone versions: 1.5.8 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
SoftaculousBackuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone1.5.8 and earlierNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
RequiredA user must take an action such as opening a file or link.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (wordfence.com).

Official description

The Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the Biographical Info field (second-order, via restore) in all versions up to, and including, 1.5.8 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and the lack of sufficient preparation on an existing SQL query. Backuply exports the Biographical Info value verbatim inside an INSERT statement written to the backup's SQL dump (wp_usermeta). When an Administrator later restores such a backup, the crafted payload breaks out of that INSERT statement and appends attacker-controlled SQL that executes with full database privileges. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to write arbitrary data to the database — in particular to update the default_role option in wp_options to administrator (and enable open user registration) — so that a subsequently registered account is automatically granted the Administrator role, resulting in privilege escalation and full site takeover. Because the injection executes inside an INSERT during restore with no response returned to the attacker, the primitive is used to modify database records rather than to read existing data directly.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command

The product constructs all or part of an SQL command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended SQL command when it is sent to a downstream component. Without sufficient removal or quoting of SQL syntax in user-controllable inputs, the generated SQL query can cause those inputs to be interpreted as SQL instead of ordinary user data.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using persistence layers such as Hibernate or Enterprise Java Beans, which can provide significant protection against SQL injection if used properly.
  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
  • When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command vulnerabilities (CWE-89)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone

All Backuply – Backup, Restore, Migrate and Clone vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command vulnerabilities

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