CVE-2025-49059: CleverReach WP SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49059 Overview

CVE-2025-49059 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the CleverReach® WP plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries into the application's database layer. This flaw enables unauthenticated remote attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data extraction, data modification, or complete database compromise.

Critical Impact

This SQL Injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the WordPress database, potentially exposing sensitive user data, authentication credentials, and enabling full database compromise.

Affected Products

• CleverReach® WP plugin versions up to and including 1.5.20
• WordPress installations with vulnerable CleverReach® WP plugin versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-14 - CVE-2025-49059 published to NVD
• 2025-08-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49059

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), commonly known as SQL Injection. The CleverReach® WP plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries executed against the WordPress database.

The attack can be executed over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction. The scope of this vulnerability extends beyond the vulnerable component itself, with the potential to impact the confidentiality of the entire WordPress installation. While the primary impact is high-severity data disclosure, the vulnerability also presents a limited availability impact on the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation and improper handling of user-supplied data within the CleverReach® WP plugin. When processing requests, the plugin constructs SQL queries using unsanitized input, failing to utilize WordPress's prepared statements or proper escaping functions such as $wpdb->prepare(). This allows attackers to inject SQL metacharacters and commands that alter the intended query logic.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable via network-based attacks, requiring no authentication or privileges on the target system. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads targeting vulnerable plugin endpoints. The attack does not require user interaction, making it particularly dangerous as it can be automated and executed at scale.

Successful exploitation could allow attackers to:

• Extract sensitive data from the WordPress database including user credentials, email lists, and subscriber information
• Bypass authentication mechanisms by manipulating query results
• Modify or delete database records
• Potentially escalate to remote code execution through advanced SQL injection techniques such as stacked queries or file operations

The vulnerability affects WordPress installations using CleverReach® WP for email marketing integration, making subscriber data and marketing campaigns particularly at risk.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49059

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages appearing in WordPress error logs or displayed to users
• Unexpected database queries containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, DROP, or -- in web server access logs
• Abnormal database activity including bulk data extractions or unauthorized data modifications
• Suspicious requests to CleverReach® WP plugin endpoints containing encoded special characters

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests
• Enable detailed logging for the CleverReach® WP plugin and WordPress database queries
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns
• Monitor WordPress access logs for requests containing SQL metacharacters targeting plugin endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure real-time alerting for database errors and exceptions related to malformed SQL queries
• Establish baseline database query patterns and alert on anomalous query structures or volumes
• Monitor for unauthorized data access patterns, particularly bulk extractions from subscriber or user tables
• Implement database activity monitoring to track queries executed by the WordPress database user

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49059

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the CleverReach® WP plugin to a patched version as soon as one becomes available from the vendor
• Temporarily disable or uninstall the CleverReach® WP plugin if no patch is available and the functionality is not critical
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable plugin
• Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints using IP allowlisting where feasible
• Review database logs for signs of prior exploitation and consider credential rotation if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2025-08-14, organizations should monitor the Patchstack vulnerability database for patch availability and detailed remediation guidance. Plugin users should check the WordPress plugin repository for updated versions of CleverReach® WP and apply updates immediately upon release.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules enabled for the WordPress installation
• Implement input validation at the web server level using ModSecurity or similar tools to filter malicious SQL characters
• Restrict database user privileges for the WordPress database to minimum required permissions
• Consider temporarily disabling the CleverReach® WP plugin functionality until a patched version is available

# WordPress CLI command to deactivate the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate cleverreach-wp

# Verify plugin status
wp plugin status cleverreach-wp

# Check for available updates
wp plugin update --all --dry-run