CVE-2025-31565: WPSmartContracts SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-31565 Overview

CVE-2025-31565 is a blind SQL injection vulnerability in the WPSmartContracts WordPress plugin by Lisandro Martinez. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.0.12. Attackers can exploit the issue remotely without authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-89, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. Successful exploitation enables blind extraction of database contents through inference-based payloads.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, exposing sensitive content stored by sites running WPSmartContracts <= 2.0.12.

Affected Products

WPSmartContracts plugin for WordPress, versions through 2.0.12
WordPress sites integrating smart contract functionality via this plugin
Web applications relying on WPSmartContracts for blockchain content workflows

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-11 - CVE-2025-31565 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-04-23 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31565

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-controlled input passed into SQL statements within the WPSmartContracts plugin. User input reaches the database query layer without parameterization or adequate escaping. Attackers can inject crafted SQL fragments that alter query semantics. Because the flaw is blind, responses do not directly echo query results to the attacker. Exploitation relies on boolean-based or time-based inference techniques to extract data one bit at a time.

The attack requires no authentication and no user interaction. The scope is changed because injected SQL executes against the WordPress database, which can contain credentials, session tokens, and sensitive post data across the entire site.

Root Cause

The plugin concatenates request parameters directly into SQL statements rather than using prepared statements through $wpdb->prepare(). WordPress provides safe query APIs, but this code path bypasses them. The absence of input validation and parameter binding allows special SQL characters such as quotes, comments, and conditional operators to alter the intended query structure.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to a vulnerable plugin endpoint exposed by a WordPress site. The injected payload modifies an underlying query and triggers an observable side effect, such as a delayed response from SLEEP() calls or a conditional content difference. Iterating these probes lets the attacker enumerate database schemas, dump wp_users credentials, and read arbitrary tables. Refer to the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability Report for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31565

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to WPSmartContracts plugin endpoints containing SQL meta-characters such as ', --, UNION, SLEEP(, or BENCHMARK(
Unusual spikes in request latency targeting plugin URLs, indicating time-based blind injection probing
High-volume requests from a single source to the same plugin endpoint with incrementally changing parameter values
Unexpected wp_users table reads or anomalous database query patterns in MySQL slow query logs

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for parameter values containing encoded SQL syntax targeting plugin routes
Enable WordPress query logging and alert on queries originating from plugin code paths that include suspicious operators
Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection signatures tuned for WordPress plugin parameters
Correlate WAF alerts with WordPress audit logs to identify successful exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

Track outbound database query volume and execution time anomalies on hosts running WordPress
Monitor for new administrator accounts, password resets, and changes to wp_options following suspicious requests
Alert on repeated 200-response requests with varying numeric payloads to plugin endpoints, a pattern consistent with blind data extraction

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31565

Immediate Actions Required

Update WPSmartContracts to a version newer than 2.0.12 once the vendor publishes a fix
Deactivate and remove the plugin from WordPress sites where it is not in active use
Audit the wp_users table and rotate administrator credentials if exploitation is suspected
Review WordPress logs and database tables for unauthorized modifications

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2026-04-23, all versions through 2.0.12 are affected. Site administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for current patch availability and apply vendor updates as soon as they are released.

Workarounds

Restrict access to the plugin's endpoints using web server access controls or WordPress role-based restrictions
Deploy a WAF rule that blocks SQL meta-characters in requests to WPSmartContracts URLs
Place the WordPress site behind authentication for non-public deployments until a patch is applied
Disable the plugin entirely if smart contract functionality is not required

bash

# Example WAF rule to block common SQLi patterns on plugin endpoints
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-smart-contracts/" \
    "chain,deny,status:403,id:1003156,msg:'Block SQLi on WPSmartContracts'"
    SecRule ARGS "@rx (?i)(union\s+select|sleep\(|benchmark\(|--|';)"