Participants Database WordPress plugin: PHP object injection
Summary
The Participants Database WordPress plugin up to and including version 2.7.8.5 contains a deserialization flaw (CWE-502) that allows PHP object injection. According to Patchstack, an unauthenticated attacker can manipulate how the site processes data to run harmful actions on the server. NVD rates the issue 9.8 (Critical), while VulDB rates it 7.3 (High); Patchstack expects mass exploitation.
Affected
- Participants Database WordPress plugin up to and including 2.7.8.5
Fixed in
- Unknown. No official patch available according to Patchstack.
Workaround
- Patchstack offers a virtual patch (mitigation rule) that blocks attacks until an official fix is available. This is a third-party mitigation, not a vendor fix.
- If no fix is available, deactivate or remove the plugin or restrict its public forms and endpoints.
Exploitation
- Known exploited: Not reported.
- Public exploit: VulDB reports no exploit available; no public PoC was found in the research.
- Patchstack expects the flaw to be exploited, which is a forecast and not confirmed activity.
- Authentication is not required (Patchstack).
Our recommendation
- Check all sites, including staging and old sites, for the plugin and its version.
- If the plugin is installed and no fix exists, deactivate or remove it, or apply a WAF or virtual patch.
- Back up the site before making changes.
- Review the other 2026 CVEs in this plugin (CVE-2026-112860, CVE-2026-112861), which are also reported as unfixed.
- Monitor the Patchstack, NVD and vendor pages for a fix.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Patchstack advisory CVE-2026-112862 patchstack.com
- VulDB CVE-2026-112862 vuldb.com
- VulDB vulnerability 425609 vuldb.com
- NVD CVE-2026-112862 (via Vulners) vulners.com
- HOL Guard CVE-2026-112862 hol.org
- WPScan Participants Database wpscan.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 30 Oct 2026, 16:53.
Original description (NVD)
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in xnau webdesign Participants Database participants-database allows Object Injection.This issue affects Participants Database: from n/a through 2.7.8.5.
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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