CVE-2025-68999: Happy Addons Elementor SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-68999 Overview

CVE-2025-68999 is a blind SQL injection vulnerability in the Happy Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin developed by HappyMonster. The flaw affects all versions of happy-elementor-addons up to and including 3.20.4. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can inject crafted SQL fragments that the plugin passes to the database without proper neutralization. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. Because the issue has a scope change (S:C), successful exploitation impacts resources beyond the vulnerable component, potentially exposing data across the WordPress installation.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can extract arbitrary database contents, including user credentials and session data, from WordPress sites running Happy Addons for Elementor 3.20.4 or earlier.

Affected Products

• HappyMonster Happy Addons for Elementor (happy-elementor-addons) — all versions through 3.20.4
• WordPress sites with the plugin installed and active
• Multi-site WordPress deployments sharing the affected plugin

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-22 - CVE-2025-68999 published to NVD
• 2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-68999

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in plugin code paths that build SQL queries using attacker-controlled input without parameterization or sanitization. Because the issue is blind, the application does not return database errors or query results directly. Attackers infer data by observing differences in response timing or content for true and false conditions. Exploitation requires authenticated access at a low privilege tier such as Subscriber or Contributor, which is widely available on WordPress sites permitting registration. The scope change indicates the injected query can access data outside the plugin's immediate context, including core WordPress tables holding user accounts and metadata.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special characters in SQL statements [CWE-89]. The plugin concatenates request parameters into SQL strings rather than using $wpdb->prepare() with placeholders. Input filtering does not strip or escape SQL metacharacters before the query reaches the database driver. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for affected endpoints.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires authentication. An attacker logs in with a low-privilege account, then submits crafted parameters to a vulnerable plugin endpoint. The injected payload uses boolean-based or time-based techniques such as OR SLEEP(5) or conditional CASE statements to extract data one bit at a time. Automated tooling like sqlmap can fully enumerate the database once a valid injection point is identified.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-68999

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected SLEEP(), BENCHMARK(), or UNION SELECT patterns in WordPress access logs targeting plugin endpoints under /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or /wp-json/
• Repeated authenticated requests from a single account with response times deviating from baseline
• Unusual database query volume against wp_users, wp_usermeta, or wp_options tables

Detection Strategies

• Inspect web server logs for query parameters containing SQL keywords, comment markers (--, #, /*), or stacked statements directed at Happy Addons routes
• Enable WordPress debug logging and SAVEQUERIES to capture suspicious database statements generated by the plugin
• Deploy WAF rules from Patchstack, Wordfence, or comparable providers that cover this CVE

Monitoring Recommendations

• Alert on authenticated low-privilege accounts issuing high volumes of requests to plugin AJAX or REST endpoints
• Correlate database response latency spikes with HTTP requests to plugin URLs to surface time-based injection attempts
• Track creation of new low-privilege accounts that immediately interact with Elementor plugin endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-68999

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Happy Addons for Elementor to a version newer than 3.20.4 once the vendor publishes a patched release
• Audit existing WordPress user accounts and remove untrusted Subscriber and Contributor accounts
• Restrict new user registration or require manual approval until patching is complete

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the NVD entry references the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the affected version range up to 3.20.4. Administrators should monitor the plugin's official changelog and upgrade to the fixed release as soon as it is available.

Workarounds

• Deactivate the happy-elementor-addons plugin until a fixed version is installed
• Apply virtual patching through a WordPress-aware WAF with vPatch rules for this CVE
• Enforce least privilege by restricting which roles can access Elementor editing and plugin AJAX handlers

# Configuration example: disable the plugin via WP-CLI until a patch is applied
wp plugin deactivate happy-elementor-addons
wp plugin status happy-elementor-addons