CVE-2025-7036: CleverReach WP Plugin SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-7036 Overview

The CleverReach® WP plugin for WordPress contains a time-based SQL Injection vulnerability in the title parameter affecting all versions up to and including 1.5.20. The vulnerability stems from insufficient escaping of user-supplied input and inadequate preparation of the existing SQL query, allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL queries.

This SQL Injection flaw enables attackers to append additional queries to existing database operations, potentially extracting sensitive information from the WordPress database without requiring any authentication. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this time-based SQL Injection to extract sensitive database contents including user credentials, email lists, and other confidential information stored in the WordPress database.

Affected Products

• CleverReach® WP Plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 1.5.20
• WordPress installations using vulnerable CleverReach® WP plugin versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-06 - CVE-2025-7036 published to NVD
• 2026-04-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-7036

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists within the class-clever-reach-article-search-controller.php file, specifically around line 159 where user input from the title parameter is processed. The plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape the user-supplied title parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries.

Time-based SQL Injection allows attackers to infer database contents by measuring response time differences when conditional time-delay functions are executed. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication, any remote attacker with network access can target affected WordPress installations.

The vulnerability allows extraction of sensitive information from the database with high confidentiality impact, though integrity and availability remain unaffected according to the vulnerability characteristics.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input validation and improper use of SQL query preparation. The title parameter is passed directly into SQL queries without adequate escaping or the use of parameterized queries (prepared statements). WordPress provides the $wpdb->prepare() method specifically to prevent SQL Injection, but this security control was not properly implemented for the vulnerable code path.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication and no user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL Injection payloads in the title parameter. The vulnerability is exploited through time-based blind SQL Injection techniques:

1. The attacker sends requests with SQL payloads containing conditional time delays (e.g., SLEEP() or BENCHMARK() functions)
2. By measuring response times, the attacker can infer whether conditions are true or false
3. Through iterative querying, sensitive data can be extracted character by character
4. Tools like sqlmap can automate this extraction process

The vulnerable endpoint in class-clever-reach-article-search-controller.php processes article search requests, making it accessible to unauthenticated users browsing the site.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-7036

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusually slow HTTP responses from WordPress endpoints related to CleverReach article search functionality
• HTTP requests containing SQL syntax characters (single quotes, double dashes, SLEEP, BENCHMARK, WAITFOR) in the title parameter
• Multiple sequential requests to CleverReach endpoints with incrementally modified payloads
• Database query logs showing unusual time-delay SQL functions being executed

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL Injection patterns in the title parameter
• Monitor access logs for requests to CleverReach plugin endpoints containing suspicious characters
• Implement database query monitoring to detect abnormal execution of time-delay functions
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with SQL Injection signature detection capabilities
• Review WordPress debug logs for unusual database query patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable WordPress database query logging to capture SQL statements for analysis
• Configure alerting for HTTP requests with response times exceeding normal thresholds
• Monitor for automated scanning tools like sqlmap targeting the vulnerable endpoint
• Track failed or unusual database queries originating from the CleverReach plugin
• Implement real-time log analysis for SQL Injection attack patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-7036

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the CleverReach® WP plugin to the latest patched version immediately
• Review WordPress database for signs of data exfiltration or unauthorized access
• Audit user accounts and change database credentials as a precautionary measure
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL Injection attempts targeting the title parameter
• Review access logs to determine if exploitation has already occurred

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been addressed in versions after 1.5.20. Security researchers have documented the fix in the WordPress Changeset History. The patch properly implements input sanitization and prepared statements for the vulnerable SQL query.

Additional technical details are available through:

• WordPress Plugin Code Review - Vulnerable code location
• WordPress Plugin Developer Info - Plugin update information
• Wordfence Vulnerability Report - Detailed vulnerability analysis

Note: CVE-2025-49059 may be a duplicate of this issue.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the CleverReach® WP plugin until the patched version is installed
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to filter requests containing SQL Injection patterns in the title parameter
• Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints using IP allowlisting
• Configure ModSecurity or similar WAF with OWASP Core Rule Set for SQL Injection protection
• Use a security plugin like Wordfence to add an additional layer of protection

# ModSecurity rule to block SQL Injection in title parameter
SecRule ARGS:title "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in title parameter',\
    log,\
    auditlog"