CVE-2025-13724 Overview
CVE-2025-13724 is a high-severity time-based blind SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the VikRentCar Car Rental Management System plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.4.4 due to insufficient escaping on the user-supplied month parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with Administrator-level access and above to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries, enabling extraction of sensitive information from the database.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with administrator privileges can exploit this time-based blind SQL injection to extract sensitive data from the WordPress database, potentially compromising user credentials, payment information, and other confidential data stored within the car rental management system.
Affected Products
- VikRentCar Car Rental Management System plugin for WordPress versions ≤ 1.4.4
- WordPress installations running vulnerable VikRentCar versions
- Database systems connected to affected WordPress installations
Discovery Timeline
- December 2, 2025 - CVE-2025-13724 published to NVD
- December 2, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-13724
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity and requires no user interaction. The vulnerability specifically impacts confidentiality with high severity while integrity and availability remain unaffected.
The EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) data indicates a probability of 0.046% with a percentile ranking of 14.106, suggesting a relatively low likelihood of active exploitation in the wild.
The vulnerable code is located in the administrative overview view handler at admin/views/overv/view.html.php around line 195. The month parameter is passed directly into SQL queries without proper sanitization or prepared statement usage, creating an exploitable injection point.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and improper use of SQL query construction. The month parameter accepted from user input is not properly escaped or sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. Additionally, the code fails to use parameterized queries or prepared statements, which are the industry-standard defense against SQL injection attacks.
WordPress provides the $wpdb->prepare() method specifically for this purpose, but the vulnerable code does not leverage this protection mechanism. The lack of proper escaping on user-supplied input combined with direct string concatenation into SQL statements creates the injection vector.
Attack Vector
The attack exploits a time-based blind SQL injection technique through the month parameter in the plugin's administrative interface. Since this is a blind injection, attackers cannot directly see the query results. Instead, they infer information by injecting SQL statements that cause measurable time delays when certain conditions are true.
An attacker with administrator access can manipulate the month parameter to inject additional SQL commands. By using time-based payloads (such as SLEEP() functions in MySQL), attackers can systematically extract database contents character by character by measuring response times. This technique, while slower than direct injection, can ultimately expose the entire database schema and data.
The attack requires the attacker to have authenticated administrator-level access to the WordPress installation, which somewhat limits the attack surface but remains a significant risk in environments with multiple administrators or compromised admin credentials.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13724
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual or unexpected time delays in administrative page responses for the VikRentCar plugin
- Anomalous database query patterns containing SLEEP(), BENCHMARK(), or WAITFOR DELAY statements
- Suspicious values in the month parameter containing SQL syntax characters such as quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
- Repeated requests to the overview page with varying month parameter values
- Database logs showing abnormal query execution times or syntax errors
Detection Strategies
Organizations should implement multiple detection layers to identify potential exploitation attempts:
Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules: Configure WAF solutions to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP parameters, specifically monitoring the month parameter for malicious payloads including time-based SQL injection signatures.
Database Activity Monitoring: Enable query logging on the WordPress database and monitor for suspicious patterns including excessive SLEEP() calls, unusual query structures, or queries accessing sensitive tables that don't match normal application behavior.
Log Analysis: Implement centralized logging for WordPress and analyze access logs for repeated requests to the vulnerable endpoint with varying parameter values, which may indicate automated exploitation attempts.
SentinelOne Singularity Platform: Deploy SentinelOne's behavioral AI engine to detect anomalous database interaction patterns and identify potential SQL injection exploitation in real-time, with automatic response capabilities to contain threats.
Monitoring Recommendations
Establish baseline metrics for typical response times on VikRentCar administrative pages. Alert on statistically significant deviations that could indicate time-based injection probing. Configure database query timeout limits to prevent extended resource consumption from malicious SLEEP() statements. Implement application-level logging for all parameter values submitted to vulnerable endpoints and correlate with response timing data.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13724
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the VikRentCar plugin to the latest patched version immediately
- Audit administrator accounts and remove or disable any unnecessary privileged accounts
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to filter SQL injection payloads targeting the month parameter
- Review database access logs for signs of past exploitation
- Consider temporarily disabling the plugin if an immediate update is not possible
Patch Information
The vulnerability affects VikRentCar versions up to and including 1.4.4. Users should update to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability. The patch information can be found in the WordPress plugin repository changeset. The fix involves implementing proper input sanitization and using prepared statements for database queries.
For reference, the vulnerable code location and patch details are available at:
- Vulnerable code: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/vikrentcar/tags/1.4.4/admin/views/overv/view.html.php#L195
- Changeset: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3403439%40vikrentcar&new=3403439%40vikrentcar
Workarounds
If immediate patching is not possible, organizations can implement the following temporary mitigations:
Restrict Administrative Access: Limit WordPress administrator accounts to essential personnel only and implement IP-based access restrictions to the WordPress admin area. Use WordPress security plugins to enforce strong authentication and session management.
Web Application Firewall: Deploy or configure WAF rules to inspect and sanitize the month parameter, blocking requests containing SQL injection patterns such as single quotes, UNION statements, and time-based injection keywords.
Database Permissions: Review and restrict database user permissions used by WordPress to the minimum required privileges. Remove DELETE, DROP, or administrative database permissions if not explicitly required.
Plugin Deactivation: As a last resort, temporarily deactivate the VikRentCar plugin until it can be safely updated, especially in high-security environments where the risk of data exposure outweighs the operational impact.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
