CVE-2025-49854 Overview
CVE-2025-49854 is a SQL injection vulnerability in the Slim SEO WordPress plugin developed by Anh Tran. The flaw affects all versions of Slim SEO up to and including 4.5.4. It stems from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands [CWE-89], allowing an authenticated attacker with high privileges to inject malicious SQL statements. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality of database contents and can affect availability of the WordPress site. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-89 and was published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) on June 17, 2025.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the WordPress database, exposing stored data and potentially disrupting site operations.
Affected Products
- Anh Tran Slim SEO plugin for WordPress
- All versions from initial release through 4.5.4
- WordPress installations with the vulnerable plugin activated
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-17 - CVE-2025-49854 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-49854
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Slim SEO plugin's handling of user-supplied input passed to SQL queries. The plugin fails to properly sanitize or parameterize special characters before including them in database queries, resulting in a classic SQL injection weakness classified under [CWE-89]. An attacker with high privileges on the WordPress site can craft input that breaks out of the intended SQL context and executes attacker-controlled statements. The scope is marked as changed, indicating the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. Confidentiality impact is high, while availability impact is low and integrity is unaffected. The EPSS score of 0.271% places this vulnerability in the 18th percentile for likelihood of exploitation.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input sanitization and lack of prepared statements when constructing SQL queries within the plugin. User-controllable input flows directly into query strings without escaping via $wpdb->prepare() or equivalent parameterization. This design flaw allows attacker-supplied SQL syntax to be interpreted as part of the executed query.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress admin interface and authenticated access with high privileges. The attacker submits crafted parameters through plugin-exposed endpoints, which are then concatenated into SQL queries executed against the WordPress database. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own authenticated session. Because the scope changes, the injected queries can read data from tables outside the plugin's normal operational scope, including WordPress core tables such as wp_users and wp_options.
Detailed exploitation code has not been published. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49854
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected SQL syntax such as UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, or information_schema references appearing in web server access logs for Slim SEO plugin endpoints
- Database error messages logged by WordPress or MySQL correlating with requests to /wp-admin/ paths handled by Slim SEO
- Anomalous administrative activity from accounts that recently accessed Slim SEO configuration pages
Detection Strategies
- Review HTTP request logs for suspicious query strings and POST bodies targeting Slim SEO admin endpoints
- Enable WordPress debug logging and MySQL general query logging to capture malformed or unexpected queries
- Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection signatures tuned for WordPress plugin traffic
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on database queries containing stacked statements or time-based injection primitives originating from PHP-FPM workers serving WordPress
- Track privileged WordPress user sessions and correlate configuration changes to Slim SEO with subsequent database anomalies
- Monitor for outbound data transfers from the WordPress host that follow admin interactions with the plugin
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49854
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Slim SEO to a version later than 4.5.4 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release
- Audit WordPress administrator and editor accounts and remove any that are not strictly required
- Rotate credentials for high-privilege WordPress accounts that had access while the vulnerable version was installed
- Review database contents and backups for signs of unauthorized reads or modifications
Patch Information
The Patchstack advisory tracks the fix status for Slim SEO versions after 4.5.4. Administrators should consult the Patchstack SQL Injection Vulnerability entry for the current patched version and upgrade guidance. Apply updates through the WordPress plugin manager or by replacing plugin files with the patched release.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Slim SEO plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/ using IP allow-lists or VPN-only access to limit exposure to authenticated attackers
- Deploy a WordPress-aware web application firewall with virtual patching rules for CVE-2025-49854
- Enforce the principle of least privilege by reducing the number of administrator accounts
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
