CVE-2025-12197: Events Calendar WordPress SQLI Vulnerability

CVE-2025-12197 Overview

The Events Calendar plugin for WordPress contains a blind SQL Injection vulnerability in versions 6.15.1.1 to 6.15.9. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient escaping on the user-supplied s parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This security flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries, potentially allowing extraction of sensitive information from the database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data from the WordPress database, including user credentials, personal information, and other confidential data stored by the site.

Affected Products

• The Events Calendar WordPress Plugin versions 6.15.1.1 to 6.15.9

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-11-05 - CVE-2025-12197 published to NVD
• 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-12197

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (SQL Injection), a critical web application security flaw. The root cause lies in how The Events Calendar plugin processes user input through the s parameter without properly sanitizing or escaping the data before incorporating it into SQL queries. Because the vulnerability is blind in nature, attackers cannot directly view the results of their injected queries in the application's response. Instead, they must infer database contents through timing-based or boolean-based techniques, making exploitation more complex but still highly effective for data extraction.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication, meaning any anonymous visitor to a WordPress site running the vulnerable plugin versions can potentially exploit it. Successful exploitation could lead to complete database compromise, including access to WordPress administrator credentials, user personal data, and any other sensitive information stored in the database.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper SQL query construction in The Events Calendar plugin. Specifically, the s parameter (typically used for search functionality) is incorporated into SQL queries without adequate escaping or parameterization. This failure to use prepared statements or properly sanitize user input allows malicious SQL code to be injected into database queries.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction or authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads in the s parameter. Since this is a blind SQL injection, the attacker uses inference techniques to extract data:

• Boolean-based blind injection: The attacker sends payloads that cause the application to behave differently based on whether a condition is true or false, allowing bit-by-bit extraction of data.
• Time-based blind injection: The attacker includes SQL functions like SLEEP() that introduce delays when conditions are met, enabling data extraction by measuring response times.

The vulnerability affects the search functionality of The Events Calendar plugin, which is typically exposed to unauthenticated users, significantly increasing the attack surface.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-12197

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed search queries in web server access logs containing SQL syntax such as UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1, SLEEP(), or BENCHMARK()
• Abnormal response times for requests to event search endpoints, potentially indicating time-based SQL injection attempts
• High volume of requests targeting event search functionality from single IP addresses
• Database query logs showing anomalous or unexpected SQL statements

Detection Strategies

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules to identify and block malicious payloads in the s parameter
• Implement real-time log monitoring for web server access logs, filtering for SQL injection patterns in URL parameters
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on SQL injection attack signatures
• Enable WordPress audit logging to track unusual search requests and database access patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server logs for requests containing common SQL injection strings targeting The Events Calendar search endpoint
• Set up alerting for unusual database query patterns or errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Track plugin versions across WordPress installations to identify systems running vulnerable versions 6.15.1.1 through 6.15.9
• Monitor for abnormal database performance metrics that could indicate active exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-12197

Immediate Actions Required

• Update The Events Calendar plugin to version 6.15.10 or later immediately
• Review web server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts
• Consider temporarily disabling the plugin's search functionality if immediate patching is not possible
• Implement WAF rules to filter SQL injection attempts in the s parameter

Patch Information

The vendor has released a security patch addressing this vulnerability. The fix is documented in the WordPress Plugin Change Log. Additionally, detailed vulnerability information is available in the Wordfence Vulnerability Report. Site administrators should update to the latest patched version through the WordPress plugin update mechanism.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules as a temporary mitigation measure
• Implement server-level input filtering for the s parameter to block common SQL injection patterns
• Restrict access to the event search functionality through .htaccess rules or similar access controls if search functionality is not critical
• Consider disabling the plugin entirely on production systems until patching can be completed

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in the 's' parameter
SecRule ARGS:s "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection Detected in Events Calendar Search'"