CVE-2025-48274: WP Job Portal SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-48274 Overview

CVE-2025-48274 is a Blind SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the WP Job Portal plugin for WordPress developed by wpjobportal. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, allowing attackers to perform blind SQL injection attacks against vulnerable WordPress installations.

The vulnerability enables unauthenticated attackers to extract sensitive data from the WordPress database by exploiting improperly sanitized user input in SQL queries. As a blind SQL injection flaw, attackers cannot directly view query results but can infer database contents through timing-based or boolean-based inference techniques.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive database information including user credentials, personal data, and other confidential information stored in WordPress databases running vulnerable versions of WP Job Portal.

Affected Products

• WP Job Portal plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 2.3.2
• WordPress installations with vulnerable WP Job Portal configurations
• Sites using wpjobportal wp_job_portal component

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-17 - CVE-2025-48274 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-48274

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the WP Job Portal WordPress plugin through version 2.3.2. The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL command construction. When user-supplied input is incorporated into database queries without adequate validation or parameterization, attackers can manipulate the SQL logic to extract unauthorized data.

The blind nature of this SQL injection means that query results are not directly returned to the attacker. Instead, exploitation requires inference-based techniques where attackers deduce database contents by observing application behavior changes based on injected conditional statements.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and lack of parameterized queries in the WP Job Portal plugin. User-controllable input is concatenated directly into SQL statements rather than being properly escaped or bound as parameters. This allows malicious SQL fragments to be interpreted as part of the query structure rather than as literal data values.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads targeting vulnerable plugin endpoints. The blind SQL injection technique involves:

1. Injecting conditional SQL statements that alter query behavior
2. Observing response timing differences or content changes
3. Iteratively extracting database contents character by character
4. Harvesting sensitive information such as user credentials and personal data

Due to the lack of verified code examples for this vulnerability, technical details regarding specific injection points should be referenced from the Patchstack vulnerability database.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-48274

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database query patterns in WordPress logs indicating SQL manipulation attempts
• HTTP requests containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP(), BENCHMARK(), or conditional operators targeting WP Job Portal endpoints
• Abnormal response times suggesting time-based blind SQL injection enumeration
• Database error messages in application logs related to malformed queries

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules specific to WordPress plugin endpoints
• Monitor HTTP request parameters for common SQL injection patterns and encoded payloads
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns
• Review WordPress access logs for suspicious requests targeting /wp-content/plugins/wp-job-portal/ paths

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the WP Job Portal plugin and WordPress database queries
• Configure alerts for requests containing SQL metacharacters in job portal form submissions
• Monitor for unusual database read patterns that may indicate data exfiltration
• Set up response time anomaly detection to identify time-based injection attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-48274

Immediate Actions Required

• Update WP Job Portal plugin to a version newer than 2.3.2 as soon as a patch becomes available
• Review the Patchstack security advisory for the latest remediation guidance
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable plugin
• Audit WordPress database for signs of unauthorized data access

Patch Information

Organizations should monitor the official WP Job Portal plugin repository and WordPress plugin directory for security updates addressing this vulnerability. The affected versions include all releases through 2.3.2. Consult the Patchstack advisory for the most current patch status and remediation options.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the WP Job Portal plugin if it is not business-critical until a patch is available
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to filter SQL injection patterns in requests to the plugin
• Restrict access to job portal functionality to authenticated users only where possible
• Use database connection accounts with minimal required privileges to limit potential damage

# WordPress CLI command to deactivate vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate wp-job-portal --path=/var/www/html

# Verify plugin status
wp plugin list --path=/var/www/html | grep wp-job-portal