CVE-2025-27263

Remediation/Mitigation Strategy for CVE-2025-27263: SQL Injection in NotFound Doctor Appointment Booking Plugin

This document outlines the remediation and mitigation strategy for CVE-2025-27263, a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the NotFound Doctor Appointment Booking plugin, versions up to and including 1.0.0.

1. Vulnerability Description:

• CVE ID: CVE-2025-27263
• Vulnerability: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command (‘SQL Injection’)
• Affected Software: NotFound Doctor Appointment Booking plugin
• Affected Versions: Versions up to and including 1.0.0

This vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code into database queries, potentially leading to:

• Data Breach: Access to sensitive data, including user information (patients, doctors), appointment details, and other confidential data.
• Data Modification: Altering or deleting existing data within the database.
• Authentication Bypass: Gaining unauthorized access to the system by manipulating login credentials.
• Remote Code Execution (Potentially): In some cases, depending on the database configuration and permissions, successful SQL injection can lead to remote code execution on the server.

2. Severity:

• CVSS Score: 8.5 (High)
• CVSS Vector: 3.1/4.7 (The specific vector components are not fully provided in the information, however, a score of 8.5 indicates high impact.)
• Severity Level: High
• Explanation: The high CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is easily exploitable and can have significant negative consequences, including data compromise and potential system compromise.

3. Known Exploits:

While specific exploit details are not provided, the nature of SQL injection vulnerabilities means that readily available tools and techniques can be used to identify and exploit this flaw. Exploit availability is highly likely. Given the “high” severity rating, it is probable that proof-of-concept exploits are being developed or are already available.

4. Remediation Steps:

The primary remediation is to upgrade to a patched version of the NotFound Doctor Appointment Booking plugin. Check the plugin vendor’s website (NotFound) or the WordPress plugin repository for a security update. If a patched version is not available, implement the following mitigation steps.

5. Mitigation Steps (If a Patch is Not Available):

These mitigation steps aim to reduce the attack surface and limit the impact of a potential SQL injection attack.

• Input Validation and Sanitization:
  • Identify Vulnerable Input Points: Thoroughly review the plugin code to identify all points where user-supplied data is used in SQL queries (e.g., search fields, form submissions, parameters in URLs). This is the most important step.
  • Sanitize Input: Implement robust input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied data before it is used in SQL queries. This includes:
    • Whitelist Known-Good Characters: Only allow specific characters that are expected and valid for each input field.
    • Escape Special Characters: Properly escape special characters that have meaning in SQL (e.g., single quotes, double quotes, backslashes) using database-specific escaping functions (e.g., mysqli_real_escape_string in PHP for MySQL). Do not rely on naive string replacements as they are often insufficient.
    • Use Prepared Statements (Parameterized Queries): This is the preferred method to prevent SQL injection. Prepared statements separate the SQL query structure from the user-supplied data, making it impossible for an attacker to inject malicious code.
  • Limit Input Length: Set appropriate length limits on input fields to prevent excessively long inputs that could be used to exploit buffer overflows or other vulnerabilities.
• Principle of Least Privilege:
  • Database User Permissions: Ensure that the database user used by the plugin has only the minimum necessary permissions required for its operation. Avoid granting root or admin privileges to the database user.
  • Web Server Permissions: Similarly, ensure that the web server user running the PHP code has only the necessary file system permissions.
• Web Application Firewall (WAF):
  • Deploy a WAF: Implement a web application firewall (WAF) to detect and block common SQL injection attacks. Configure the WAF with up-to-date rules and signatures.
  • Monitor WAF Logs: Regularly monitor the WAF logs to identify and investigate potential attacks.
• Code Review:
  • Conduct Code Review: Have the plugin code reviewed by a security expert to identify potential vulnerabilities and ensure that the remediation steps are implemented correctly.
• Error Handling:
  • Disable Detailed Error Messages: Disable detailed database error messages in production environments. Displaying detailed error messages can provide attackers with valuable information about the database structure and configuration. Log errors internally for debugging purposes.
• Regular Security Audits:
  • Perform Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits of the plugin and the server environment to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Monitoring and Logging:
  • Enable Logging: Enable detailed logging of all database queries and user activity. This will help in detecting and investigating suspicious activity.
  • Monitor Logs: Regularly monitor the logs for unusual patterns or suspicious activity that could indicate a SQL injection attack.

6. Long-Term Strategy:

• Contact the Plugin Vendor: Immediately contact the plugin vendor (NotFound) and inform them of the vulnerability. Encourage them to release a patched version of the plugin as soon as possible.
• Consider Alternative Plugins: If the vendor is unresponsive or unwilling to fix the vulnerability, consider switching to a different doctor appointment booking plugin that is actively maintained and has a good security track record.

7. Testing and Verification:

After implementing the remediation and mitigation steps, thoroughly test the plugin to ensure that the SQL injection vulnerability has been successfully addressed. Use penetration testing tools and techniques to simulate attacks and verify that the countermeasures are effective.

8. Disclaimer:

This remediation and mitigation strategy is based on the information available at the time of writing. It is essential to stay informed about the latest security threats and best practices and to adapt the strategy accordingly. This document is not exhaustive and should be used in conjunction with other security measures. This information is provided as-is and without warranty.

Assigner

• Patchstack [email protected]

Date

• Published Date: 2025-03-03 13:30:29
• Updated Date: 2025-03-03 14:15:58

More Details

CVE-2025-27263