CVE-2025-32149 Overview
CVE-2025-32149 is an SQL Injection vulnerability in the winkm89 teachPress WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions of teachPress up to and including 9.0.11. It stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands [CWE-89]. Authenticated attackers with low privileges can inject malicious SQL statements through the network attack vector. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying WordPress database.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can manipulate database queries to read, modify, or delete arbitrary data in WordPress installations running teachPress <= 9.0.11.
Affected Products
- winkm89 teachPress WordPress plugin versions through 9.0.11
- WordPress sites with teachPress installed and enabled
- Academic and educational WordPress deployments using teachPress for publications and course management
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-04 - CVE-2025-32149 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-32149
Vulnerability Analysis
The teachPress plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows authenticated users to break out of the intended query context. Attackers can append additional SQL clauses, extract sensitive data, or modify records.
The vulnerability requires authentication but does not require user interaction. The attack executes over the network against the WordPress site. Because WordPress plugins typically operate against the central wp_ database, exploitation can expose user credentials, session tokens, and configuration data.
The EPSS score for this issue is 0.258% with a percentile of 49.354, reflecting current exploitation likelihood estimates.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands [CWE-89]. Affected code paths concatenate untrusted input directly into SQL statements rather than using parameterized queries or the WordPress $wpdb->prepare() API. Special characters such as single quotes, semicolons, and SQL keywords pass through unfiltered.
Attack Vector
An authenticated user with low privileges sends crafted HTTP requests to a vulnerable teachPress endpoint. The request includes SQL metacharacters in a parameter that reaches a backend query without sanitization. The plugin executes the resulting query, returning attacker-controlled output or applying attacker-controlled modifications. Successful exploitation provides full read and write access to the WordPress database.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Analysis for technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-32149
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, or BENCHMARK( patterns in WordPress access logs targeting teachPress endpoints
- Database errors in PHP logs referencing teachPress query handlers
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts in the wp_users table without corresponding admin activity
- Unusual outbound traffic from the web server following authenticated POST or GET requests to teachPress URLs
Detection Strategies
- Inspect WordPress request logs for SQL metacharacters such as ', --, ;, and /* in teachPress parameters
- Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily to identify malformed or suspicious queries originating from the plugin
- Deploy a web application firewall rule set that flags SQL injection signatures targeting /wp-admin/admin.php?page=teachpress* paths
- Correlate authenticated low-privilege user activity with database modification events
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor authentication logs for low-privilege accounts performing unexpected actions against teachPress
- Alert on schema changes, privilege grants, or bulk reads in the WordPress database
- Track plugin version inventory across WordPress hosts to identify systems running <= 9.0.11
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-32149
Immediate Actions Required
- Update teachPress to a version newer than 9.0.11 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release
- Audit all WordPress user accounts and revoke unnecessary privileges, especially contributor and subscriber roles with access to teachPress functions
- Review database logs for evidence of injection attempts since the affected version was installed
- Rotate WordPress administrator passwords and secret keys if compromise is suspected
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the vulnerability affects teachPress versions through 9.0.11. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Analysis for the current patched release and upgrade guidance.
Workarounds
- Disable the teachPress plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict plugin access through web server access control lists or WordPress role management to trusted administrators only
- Deploy a WAF with SQL injection rules in front of the WordPress site to block exploitation attempts
- Apply virtual patching at the reverse proxy layer to filter SQL metacharacters in teachPress request parameters
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
