CVE-2025-32685: WP Inquiries SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-32685 Overview

CVE-2025-32685 is a SQL Injection vulnerability in the WP Inquiries WordPress plugin developed by Aristo Rinjuang. The flaw affects all versions of wp-inquiries up to and including 0.2.1. It stems from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands [CWE-89]. An authenticated attacker with high privileges can inject arbitrary SQL statements through vulnerable plugin parameters. Successful exploitation allows disclosure of sensitive database contents and limited impact to availability, with the scope extending beyond the vulnerable component.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can extract sensitive data from the WordPress database and potentially disrupt site availability through crafted SQL payloads.

Affected Products

Aristo Rinjuang WP Inquiries plugin for WordPress
All versions from initial release through 0.2.1
WordPress sites with the wp-inquiries plugin installed and activated

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-09 - CVE CVE-2025-32685 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-32685

Vulnerability Analysis

The WP Inquiries plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This classic SQL Injection weakness [CWE-89] allows attackers to break out of intended query context and append arbitrary SQL clauses. Because the vulnerability requires high privileges but no user interaction, exploitation typically involves a compromised administrative or elevated plugin role. The scope-changing nature of the flaw indicates that injected queries can affect resources beyond the plugin's own security boundary, potentially exposing data across the entire WordPress database including user credentials, session tokens, and post metadata.

Root Cause

The root cause is the direct concatenation of untrusted input into SQL queries without the use of parameterized statements or WordPress's $wpdb->prepare() API. The plugin does not apply input validation, type casting, or escaping through functions such as esc_sql() before query execution. This omission allows special characters — including single quotes, UNION keywords, and comment sequences — to alter query structure.

Attack Vector

An attacker with high-privileged access to a WordPress site running WP Inquiries <= 0.2.1 submits crafted input to a vulnerable plugin endpoint. The malicious payload is embedded into a backend SQL query and executed by the database. The attacker can enumerate tables using UNION SELECT statements, extract data through blind boolean or time-based techniques, and trigger database load conditions that reduce availability. Refer to the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability advisory for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-32685

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or INFORMATION_SCHEMA tokens in WordPress access logs targeting wp-inquiries endpoints
Anomalous database query patterns originating from plugin request handlers
Repeated authenticated POST or GET requests to wp-inquiries parameters with encoded SQL metacharacters
Sudden spikes in database CPU utilization correlated with plugin activity

Detection Strategies

Enable WordPress query logging and inspect statements generated by the wp-inquiries plugin for concatenated user input
Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with signatures for SQL Injection payloads targeting WordPress plugin endpoints
Correlate authentication events with subsequent plugin requests to identify privileged accounts issuing unusual query patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor wp_options, wp_users, and wp_usermeta tables for unauthorized reads or modifications
Alert on outbound data transfers from the database host following plugin request activity
Track failed and successful administrative logins that precede requests to wp-inquiries routes

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-32685

Immediate Actions Required

Deactivate and remove the WP Inquiries plugin until a patched release is available
Audit WordPress administrator and editor accounts for unauthorized access or privilege changes
Rotate database credentials and WordPress secret keys if exploitation is suspected
Restrict administrative access to trusted IP addresses through server-level ACLs

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version has been identified beyond 0.2.1. Site administrators should consult the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability advisory for updates on official remediation from the plugin author.

Workarounds

Apply a virtual patch through a WordPress-aware WAF to block SQL metacharacters in wp-inquiries request parameters
Enforce least-privilege access so that only essential accounts hold the roles required to reach vulnerable plugin functionality
Enable multi-factor authentication for all WordPress accounts with administrative privileges to reduce risk of privileged account compromise

bash

# Configuration example: disable the plugin via WP-CLI until a patch is available
wp plugin deactivate wp-inquiries
wp plugin delete wp-inquiries