CVE-2025-39586: ProfileGrid SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-39586 Overview

CVE-2025-39586 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the Metagauss ProfileGrid plugin for WordPress, tracked under [CWE-89]. The flaw exists in the profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities plugin in versions up to and including 5.9.4.8. Authenticated attackers with low privileges can inject SQL commands due to improper neutralization of special elements in SQL statements. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.5 and a changed scope, meaning impact extends beyond the vulnerable component. Successful exploitation enables attackers to read confidential database contents and disrupt application availability.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, exposing user credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), and plugin configuration data.

Affected Products

Metagauss ProfileGrid profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities plugin
All versions from n/a through <= 5.9.4.8
WordPress sites running the ProfileGrid User Profiles, Groups and Communities plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-17 - CVE-2025-39586 published to NVD
2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-39586

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input incorporated into SQL queries within the ProfileGrid plugin. The plugin fails to sanitize or parameterize input passed to database query functions, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context. Attackers with at least low-privilege authentication can submit crafted parameters that alter the structure of the underlying SQL statement. The changed scope rating indicates that the compromised database content can affect resources beyond the plugin itself, including the broader WordPress installation.

Exploitation results in high confidentiality impact and low availability impact. Integrity is rated as none, suggesting the primary risk lies in data exfiltration rather than direct modification of records. Attackers can extract sensitive data such as hashed passwords, session tokens, email addresses, and group membership data managed by the plugin.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of prepared statements or proper input escaping in one or more plugin endpoints that construct SQL queries from user-controlled values. WordPress provides the $wpdb->prepare() method to bind parameters safely, but the affected code paths in ProfileGrid 5.9.4.8 and earlier concatenate untrusted input directly into queries.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted remotely over the network and requires low-privilege authentication. No user interaction is required. Attackers send crafted HTTP requests containing malicious SQL fragments to vulnerable plugin endpoints, typically through AJAX handlers or REST API routes exposed by the plugin. The injected payload executes within the WordPress database context.

For technical specifics on the affected endpoints and proof-of-concept payloads, refer to the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-39586

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual SQL syntax such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, or INFORMATION_SCHEMA appearing in web server access logs targeting /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or ProfileGrid plugin endpoints.
Spikes in database query duration or errors logged in wp-content/debug.log referencing ProfileGrid functions.
Unexpected outbound traffic from the WordPress host following authenticated requests to plugin URLs.
New or modified administrator accounts created shortly after suspicious requests to ProfileGrid endpoints.

Detection Strategies

Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules tuned to identify SQL injection patterns in requests to ProfileGrid URLs.
Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily to capture queries originating from the plugin and audit for malformed statements.
Correlate authentication events with HTTP request patterns to flag low-privilege accounts issuing high volumes of plugin requests.

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor WordPress audit logs for authenticated session activity targeting ProfileGrid AJAX or REST endpoints.
Alert on database error responses returned to client requests, which often indicate injection probing.
Track plugin version inventory across WordPress fleets and flag any host running ProfileGrid <= 5.9.4.8.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-39586

Immediate Actions Required

Update the ProfileGrid plugin to a version newer than 5.9.4.8 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release.
Audit existing WordPress user accounts and rotate credentials for any account that authenticated during the exposure window.
Restrict registration and low-privilege account creation on affected sites until patching is complete.
Review the WordPress database for unauthorized records, particularly in wp_users, wp_usermeta, and ProfileGrid-specific tables.

Patch Information

Consult the Patchstack advisory for the current patched version and vendor remediation guidance. Apply updates through the WordPress plugin manager or by replacing the plugin directory with the patched release.

Workarounds

Temporarily deactivate the ProfileGrid plugin on sites that cannot be patched immediately.
Place the WordPress site behind a WAF configured to block SQL injection signatures targeting plugin endpoints.
Restrict access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php ProfileGrid actions via IP allowlisting where feasible.
Enforce strong authentication and disable open user registration to reduce the population of low-privilege accounts that could exploit the flaw.

bash

# Configuration example: temporarily disable ProfileGrid via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities
wp plugin status profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities