CVE Alert: CVE-2025-11501 – markomaksym – Dynamically Display Posts

Risk verdict

High risk: unauthenticated remote SQL injection in the vulnerable plugin could disclose sensitive database data; currently no confirmed active exploitation, but automated exploitation is feasible.

Why this matters

Data in the database may include user records, configuration, and content, enabling disclosure or leakage to an attacker. Attackers could use the vulnerability to harvest sensitive information at scale, with potential follow-on impact on downstream systems or trust in the site.

Most likely attack path

An attacker remotely submits crafted HTTP requests targeting the tax_query parameter; no authentication or user interaction required. The injection occurs within the database layer, exposing data via a single web-visible vector and with network access sufficient to reach the WordPress site. Because no privileges are required and UI interaction is not needed, broad automated probing is plausible; integrity and availability impacts are limited per the metrics, but data exfiltration remains a primary risk.

Who is most exposed

Sites running the affected WordPress plugin on self-hosted or managed WordPress installations, especially those with older plugin versions and weak patch management, are most at risk; typical exposure is in retail, SMBs, and agencies using custom deployments or standard hosting.

Detection ideas

• Monitor for SQLi-like payloads in tax_query parameters (e.g., UNION SELECT, information_schema queries).
• Alert on database error messages or unusual query patterns in application logs.
• WAF/IPS alerts for repeated crafted requests to the plugin endpoints.
• spikes in database query latency correlated with plugin-access traffic.
• SIEM correlations of anonymous HTTP requests containing injection-like syntax.

Mitigation and prioritisation

• Patch to the latest plugin version or apply vendor-supplied fix; if unavailable, disable the plugin until patched.
• Enforce least-privilege DB accounts for the WordPress install; restrict the plugin’s database access.
• Deploy WAF/IPS rules to block known SQLi patterns targeting tax_query.
• Validate and sanitise input at the application layer; ensure prepared statements are used where feasible.
• Schedule a change-management window for patch testing in staging before production.