CVE-2025-49033 Overview
CVE-2025-49033 is a Blind SQL Injection vulnerability in the Metagauss ProfileGrid WordPress plugin (profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities). The flaw affects all versions up to and including 5.9.5.3 and stems from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands [CWE-89]. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject arbitrary SQL into database queries over the network. The scope-changed CVSS vector indicates that successful exploitation impacts data outside the vulnerable component, exposing sensitive WordPress database contents.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege users can extract sensitive data from the WordPress database through blind SQL injection, potentially exposing user credentials, session tokens, and private content.
Affected Products
- Metagauss ProfileGrid plugin versions up to and including 5.9.5.3
- WordPress sites running the profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities plugin
- Any WordPress deployment exposing ProfileGrid functionality to authenticated users
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-14 - CVE-2025-49033 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-49033
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a Blind SQL Injection flaw classified under [CWE-89], Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. ProfileGrid passes user-controlled input into SQL queries without adequate sanitization or parameterization. Because the injection is blind, the application does not directly return query results to the attacker. Instead, attackers infer data by observing application behavior, response timing, or boolean-based conditional responses.
The attack requires network access and authentication at a low privilege level. No user interaction is needed. The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerable component can affect resources beyond its own security boundary, such as the underlying database tables shared with the WordPress core.
Root Cause
The root cause is the use of unsanitized user input concatenated directly into SQL statements within the ProfileGrid plugin. The plugin fails to use prepared statements or apply $wpdb->prepare() consistently across query construction paths. Special SQL meta-characters reach the database engine intact, allowing query logic manipulation.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker submits crafted parameters to a ProfileGrid endpoint that processes user-supplied data within SQL queries. By injecting conditional payloads such as boolean tests or time-delay functions, the attacker enumerates database schema, extracts records, and reads arbitrary table contents. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for technical specifics.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. The vulnerability mechanism is documented in prose only.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49033
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual SQL syntax such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, BENCHMARK(, or AND 1=1 patterns in HTTP request parameters to ProfileGrid endpoints
- Spikes in database query latency or timeouts correlated with authenticated user sessions
- Repeated HTTP requests from a single authenticated session iterating over numeric or string parameters
- WordPress error logs containing MySQL syntax errors referencing ProfileGrid query paths
Detection Strategies
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) ruleset to flag SQL meta-characters in requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php actions registered by ProfileGrid
- Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily to identify malformed or suspicious queries originating from the plugin
- Correlate authenticated user IDs with anomalous query volumes against WordPress core tables
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor wp-content/plugins/profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities/ for unexpected file modifications
- Alert on response time anomalies in ProfileGrid AJAX endpoints, which may indicate time-based blind SQLi probing
- Audit WordPress user accounts for unauthorized role escalations or new administrator additions
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49033
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress instances running the ProfileGrid plugin and verify installed version against 5.9.5.3
- Upgrade ProfileGrid to a version released after 5.9.5.3 that addresses the SQL injection flaw
- Rotate WordPress administrator credentials and database passwords if exploitation is suspected
- Review database audit logs for unauthorized SELECT activity against wp_users and wp_usermeta tables
Patch Information
Review the Patchstack vulnerability database entry for the fixed version and apply the vendor-supplied update through the WordPress plugin manager.
Workarounds
- Deploy WAF rules to block SQL injection payloads targeting ProfileGrid endpoints until the patch is applied
- Restrict registration and lower the attack surface by disabling open user registration where feasible
- Apply the principle of least privilege to the WordPress database user, removing DROP, ALTER, and FILE privileges
- Disable the ProfileGrid plugin if a patched version cannot be deployed immediately
# Disable the plugin via WP-CLI until a patched version is available
wp plugin deactivate profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities
# Verify installed version
wp plugin get profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities --field=version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
