CVE-2025-30788

Remediation/Mitigation Strategy for CVE-2025-30788

Vulnerability Summary:

  • CVE ID: CVE-2025-30788
  • Affected Software: Eli EZ SQL Reports Shortcode Widget and DB Backup WordPress Plugin
  • Affected Versions: Versions n/a through 5.25.08
  • Vulnerability Type: Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) leading to SQL Injection
  • Reported By: Patchstack ([email protected])
  • Date Reported: 2025-03-27
  • Date Fixed: (Not specified, assume a fix is not yet available)

Vulnerability Description:

This vulnerability allows an attacker to inject arbitrary SQL commands through a CSRF attack. A successful attack could lead to:

  • Data breach: Unauthorized access to sensitive database information.
  • Data modification: Altering or deleting data within the database.
  • Arbitrary code execution: In some cases, SQL Injection can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the server.
  • Denial of service: Disrupting the availability of the website by corrupting or deleting crucial data.

Severity:

  • CVSS Score: 8.2 (High)
  • CVSS Vector: (Based on provided data: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)

This indicates that the vulnerability is remotely exploitable (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), requires user interaction (UI:R), and can lead to complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H, I:H, A:H). The privilege required to exploit this vulnerability is none.

Known Exploit:

While the specific exploit details are not provided in the given information, the nature of CSRF and SQL Injection vulnerabilities makes it likely that an attacker could craft a malicious link or embed code on a website that, when clicked or loaded by a logged-in administrator of the affected WordPress site, would execute arbitrary SQL commands against the database. The presence of a SQL injection point accessible through a CSRF vector makes the plugin particularly vulnerable. A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit is highly likely to exist or be developed quickly.

Remediation and Mitigation Strategy:

Due to the high severity of this vulnerability, immediate action is crucial.

1. Immediate Actions (Before a Patch is Available):

  • Disable the Plugin: The most effective immediate mitigation is to disable the “Eli EZ SQL Reports Shortcode Widget and DB Backup” plugin entirely. This will prevent exploitation of the vulnerability. This is the recommended action until a patch is available.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules: If disabling the plugin is not feasible, implement or strengthen Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious SQL Injection attempts and CSRF attacks. Specifically, look for:
    • SQL syntax within request parameters handled by the plugin.
    • Requests originating from external domains lacking proper CSRF tokens (if any tokens are implemented). However, the vulnerability itself bypasses these tokens.
    • Abnormal patterns in user input being passed to the plugin. This could be done via ModSecurity or similar WAF products.
  • Monitor Logs: Increase monitoring of WordPress logs and database logs for any suspicious activity, such as unusual database queries or errors related to SQL syntax.
  • Educate Users: Inform WordPress administrators and editors about the vulnerability and advise them to be extremely cautious when clicking links or visiting websites from untrusted sources. Emphasize that they should not click on any links or submit any forms they are unsure about, especially while logged in to WordPress.

2. Long-Term Remediation (Once a Patch is Available):

  • Apply the Patch Immediately: As soon as a patched version of the “Eli EZ SQL Reports Shortcode Widget and DB Backup” plugin is released, update to the latest version immediately.
  • Verify the Patch: After applying the patch, verify that the vulnerability has been successfully mitigated. This may involve testing the plugin with known exploit techniques in a controlled environment (staging site).
  • Review Audit Logs: Examine audit logs for any signs of past exploitation attempts and investigate any suspicious activity.
  • Implement CSRF Protection: After patching, ensure the plugin has robust CSRF protection in place for all sensitive actions. This protection should be properly implemented and validated, not easily bypassed. If the patched version does not adequately address CSRF protection, consider contacting the plugin developer or using a different plugin with similar functionality.
  • Implement Input Validation and Sanitization: Ensure the plugin developer has implemented proper input validation and sanitization to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities in the future. All user inputs should be carefully validated and sanitized before being used in SQL queries. Use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection.
  • Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits of all WordPress plugins and themes to identify and address potential vulnerabilities proactively. Consider using a security plugin that automatically scans for vulnerabilities.

3. Ongoing Mitigation:

  • Keep WordPress Core and Plugins Updated: Maintain a regular update schedule for WordPress core, themes, and plugins. Enable automatic updates where possible.
  • Follow Security Best Practices: Implement and enforce security best practices for WordPress, such as strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and limiting user privileges.
  • Consider Vulnerability Scanning: Employ automated vulnerability scanning tools to continuously monitor for potential security flaws in your WordPress installation.

By implementing these remediation and mitigation strategies, you can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation of CVE-2025-30788 and protect your WordPress website from potential attacks. Prioritize disabling the plugin until a patch is released.

Assigner

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-03-27 11:15:40
  • Updated Date: 2025-03-27 16:45:28

More Details

CVE-2025-30788