CVE-2025-15477 Overview
CVE-2025-15477 is a SQL Injection vulnerability in the Bucketlister plugin for WordPress affecting all versions up to and including 0.1.5. The flaw resides in the plugin's shortcode handling, where the category and id attributes are passed into SQL queries without sufficient escaping or prepared statement usage. Authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher can append additional SQL queries to existing ones, enabling extraction of sensitive data from the WordPress database. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).
Critical Impact
Authenticated Contributor-level users can extract sensitive information including user credentials, session tokens, and private content stored in the WordPress database.
Affected Products
- Bucketlister plugin for WordPress, all versions up to and including 0.1.5
- WordPress sites with Contributor-level or higher user registration enabled
- Any deployment using the vulnerable shortcode with user-supplied category or id attributes
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-07 - CVE-2025-15477 published to NVD
- 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-15477
Vulnerability Analysis
The Bucketlister plugin exposes a WordPress shortcode that accepts category and id attributes from content authors. These attributes flow into a SQL query built through string concatenation rather than parameterized statements. The plugin fails to escape input or use $wpdb->prepare() with placeholders, allowing attacker-controlled SQL fragments to alter query structure.
Exploitation requires authentication at Contributor level or higher. WordPress Contributors can author posts containing shortcodes, which means any user permitted to draft content can inject malicious SQL through the shortcode attributes. The attack does not require user interaction beyond rendering the post containing the malicious shortcode.
The impact is limited to confidentiality. Attackers can use UNION-based or stacked query techniques to read arbitrary database tables, including wp_users (containing password hashes) and wp_usermeta (containing session tokens and capabilities).
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of prepared statements in the shortcode handler at bucketlister.php line 19. User-supplied category and id values are interpolated directly into the SQL string. WordPress provides $wpdb->prepare() specifically to prevent this class of issue, but the plugin does not invoke it for these attributes.
Attack Vector
An attacker with Contributor-level access creates or edits a post containing the Bucketlister shortcode with malicious SQL in the category or id attribute. When the post is previewed or rendered, the unsanitized input executes against the WordPress database. The attack vector is network-based, requires low privileges, and needs no user interaction.
Verified code examples are not available. Refer to the WordPress Plugin Source Code and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for technical specifics.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-15477
Indicators of Compromise
- Posts or drafts authored by Contributor-level accounts containing [bucketlister] shortcodes with SQL syntax such as UNION, SELECT, --, or /* in attribute values
- Unusual database query patterns in MySQL slow query logs referencing wp_users or wp_usermeta originating from shortcode rendering
- Unexpected outbound data flows following Contributor account activity
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress post revisions and drafts for shortcode attribute values containing SQL keywords or quote characters
- Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily and inspect queries generated by the Bucketlister plugin for anomalous structure
- Audit web server access logs for preview=true or post-rendering requests from low-privilege accounts shortly before suspicious database activity
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor creation and privilege changes for Contributor, Author, and Editor accounts on WordPress sites running the plugin
- Alert on database errors logged by WordPress that reference the Bucketlister shortcode handler
- Track outbound HTTP responses with abnormally large payloads from pages rendering Bucketlister shortcodes
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-15477
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the Bucketlister plugin until a patched version is released, since no fixed version is currently identified
- Restrict Contributor-level and higher account creation, and audit existing low-privilege accounts for legitimacy
- Rotate WordPress administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if the plugin has been active with untrusted Contributor accounts
Patch Information
No patched version of the Bucketlister plugin has been identified in the available advisory data. The vulnerability affects all versions through 0.1.5. Site operators should monitor the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for updates on a fixed release.
Workarounds
- Remove the plugin from active WordPress installations and replace its functionality with an alternative maintained plugin
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall rule that blocks SQL metacharacters in shortcode attribute values within post submissions
- Restrict the edit_posts capability so only trusted accounts can author content containing shortcodes
# Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate the-bucketlister
wp plugin delete the-bucketlister
# Audit Contributor and higher accounts
wp user list --role=contributor --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,user_registered
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
