CVE-2025-67928: Automotive Listings SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-67928 Overview

CVE-2025-67928 is a critical Blind SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the Automotive Listings WordPress plugin developed by themesuite. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database through specially crafted input that bypasses input sanitization mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89).

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive database contents, modify or delete data, and potentially achieve full database compromise through Blind SQL Injection techniques.

Affected Products

• WordPress Automotive Listings plugin versions through 18.6
• All WordPress installations running vulnerable versions of the automotive plugin
• Sites using themesuite's Automotive Listings for vehicle inventory management

Discovery Timeline

• January 8, 2026 - CVE-2025-67928 published to NVD
• January 8, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-67928

Vulnerability Analysis

This Blind SQL Injection vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterized query usage. Unlike traditional SQL injection where error messages or query results are directly visible, Blind SQL Injection requires attackers to infer database contents through application behavior differences or time-based responses.

The Automotive Listings plugin processes user input for vehicle search and filtering functionality. When malicious SQL syntax is injected into vulnerable parameters, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input before constructing database queries. This allows attackers to manipulate query logic and extract data character-by-character using Boolean-based or time-based inference techniques.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability combined with no authentication requirements makes it particularly dangerous for internet-facing WordPress sites.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation and lack of parameterized queries in the Automotive Listings plugin. User-controllable input is directly concatenated into SQL statements rather than using WordPress's prepared statement APIs such as $wpdb->prepare(). This failure to sanitize special SQL characters including single quotes, double quotes, and SQL keywords enables attackers to break out of intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the WordPress site containing SQL injection payloads in vulnerable parameters. The Blind SQL Injection technique works by:

1. Injecting conditional SQL statements that cause observable differences in application response
2. Using Boolean-based inference where true/false conditions produce different page responses
3. Employing time-based techniques using SQL SLEEP() or BENCHMARK() functions to infer data through response timing
4. Systematically extracting database schema, table names, and sensitive data through iterative queries

The vulnerability affects all versions of the Automotive Listings plugin through version 18.6, making any WordPress site running these versions susceptible to complete database compromise.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-67928

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database query patterns in WordPress database logs showing injection syntax
• HTTP access logs containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or encoded variants in URL parameters
• Anomalous response times indicating time-based SQL injection attempts
• Database errors or unexpected application behavior correlating with suspicious requests
• Signs of data exfiltration or unauthorized database access in audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns
• Monitor for requests containing SQL metacharacters and keywords in automotive plugin endpoints
• Implement database query logging to identify anomalous or malformed queries
• Use intrusion detection systems configured with SQL injection signature detection
• Review WordPress access logs for unusual patterns targeting the automotive plugin

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for the WordPress database layer
• Configure alerting for failed or malformed database queries
• Monitor application response times for anomalies indicating time-based injection
• Establish baseline traffic patterns for automotive plugin endpoints to detect deviations
• Implement real-time log analysis for SQL injection attack signatures

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-67928

Immediate Actions Required

• Deactivate and remove the Automotive Listings plugin if running version 18.6 or earlier
• Check for available plugin updates from themesuite and apply immediately if a patched version exists
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to block SQL injection attempts
• Audit database for signs of unauthorized access or data modification
• Review and strengthen WordPress user permissions and database access controls

Patch Information

Security researchers have documented this vulnerability in the Patchstack Vulnerability Database. WordPress administrators should monitor for updates from themesuite and apply patches as soon as they become available. Until a patch is released, removing or disabling the vulnerable plugin is the recommended course of action.

Workarounds

• Disable the Automotive Listings plugin until a security patch is available
• Implement strict WAF rules to filter SQL injection payloads targeting the plugin
• Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin functionality through IP allowlisting
• Use a security plugin with virtual patching capabilities to mitigate the vulnerability
• Consider migrating to an alternative automotive listings solution with better security practices

# WordPress CLI commands to manage vulnerable plugin
# List installed plugins and check automotive version
wp plugin list --fields=name,version,status | grep automotive

# Deactivate vulnerable plugin immediately
wp plugin deactivate automotive

# Optional: Remove plugin entirely if no patch available
wp plugin delete automotive

# Verify plugin is disabled
wp plugin status automotive