CVE-2025-2011: WordPress Depicter Plugin SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-2011 Overview

The Slider & Popup Builder by Depicter plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthenticated SQL Injection via the s parameter in all versions up to, and including, 3.6.1. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient escaping on the user-supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This allows unauthenticated attackers to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries, enabling extraction of sensitive information from the database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to extract sensitive database information including user credentials, personal data, and WordPress configuration details without requiring any authentication.

Affected Products

• Slider & Popup Builder by Depicter plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 3.6.1
• WordPress installations running vulnerable Depicter plugin versions
• Sites using Depicter's Leads functionality

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-06 - CVE-2025-2011 published to NVD
• 2025-05-07 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-2011

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as a generic SQL Injection (CWE-89), which allows attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through the s parameter. The vulnerability exists within the Depicter plugin's Leads functionality, specifically in the LeadsAjaxController.php file which handles AJAX requests.

The attack can be performed remotely over the network without any authentication requirements or user interaction. The primary impact is confidentiality breach, as attackers can extract sensitive information from the WordPress database. The vulnerability does not directly affect system integrity or availability, but the exposed data could facilitate further attacks.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and sanitization within the Depicter plugin's codebase. The vulnerable code path flows through multiple components:

1. The LeadsAjaxController.php receives the s parameter through AJAX requests
2. This parameter is passed to the LeadService.php for processing
3. The LeadRepository.php constructs SQL queries using the unsanitized input

The developers failed to implement proper prepared statements or adequate escaping mechanisms for user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This oversight allows malicious SQL code to be interpreted as part of the query structure rather than as data.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous for public-facing WordPress sites. An attacker can craft malicious requests targeting the Depicter plugin's AJAX endpoints, specifically manipulating the s parameter to inject SQL commands.

The exploitation flow involves sending specially crafted requests to the WordPress AJAX handler (wp-admin/admin-ajax.php) with a malicious payload in the s parameter. The injected SQL can be used to perform UNION-based or blind SQL injection techniques to extract database contents, including WordPress user tables, plugin configurations, and any custom data stored in the database.

For technical details on the vulnerable code paths, refer to the LeadsAjaxController source code, LeadService implementation, and LeadRepository query handling. A proof-of-concept is available at the GitHub PoC Repository.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-2011

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php containing SQL syntax in the s parameter
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION, SELECT, or information_schema queries
• Web server access logs with encoded SQL injection payloads targeting Depicter endpoints
• Error logs indicating SQL syntax errors from the Depicter plugin components

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web application firewall (WAF) logs for SQL injection patterns targeting WordPress AJAX endpoints
• Implement database query logging and alert on queries containing information_schema or union-based injection patterns
• Deploy intrusion detection signatures for common SQL injection payloads in HTTP POST requests
• Review WordPress plugin audit logs for suspicious activity related to Depicter Leads functionality

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for WordPress database queries during incident investigation
• Configure real-time alerting for SQL injection attempts in security monitoring tools
• Implement rate limiting on AJAX endpoints to slow down automated exploitation attempts
• Regularly audit database access logs for unauthorized data extraction patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-2011

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Depicter plugin to the latest patched version immediately
• If immediate update is not possible, disable the Depicter plugin until patching can occur
• Review database access logs for signs of prior exploitation
• Consider resetting database credentials if exploitation is suspected
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the plugin

Patch Information

A security patch addressing this vulnerability is available through the official WordPress plugin repository. The fix was committed in WordPress Changeset 3287525. Site administrators should update to the latest version of the Depicter plugin through the WordPress admin dashboard or by downloading directly from the official plugin page.

For detailed vulnerability analysis and remediation guidance, refer to the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the Depicter plugin if updating is not immediately feasible
• Implement WAF rules to filter requests containing SQL injection patterns in the s parameter
• Restrict access to WordPress AJAX endpoints from untrusted networks where possible
• Consider using a security plugin with SQL injection protection capabilities

# Example: Block suspicious requests at the web server level (Apache)
# Add to .htaccess file
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (union|select|from|where|concat|information_schema) [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} admin-ajax\.php [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]