CVE-2025-7036: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-7036 is a time-based SQL Injection vulnerability in the CleverReach® WP plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.5.20. The flaw exists in the title parameter due to insufficient escaping of user-supplied input and lack of proper SQL query preparation, allowing unauthenticated attackers to extract sensitive data from the database. It was published on August 6, 2025, with CVE-2025-49059 noted as a potential duplicate. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (High) (Red Hat CVE, Wordfence).

The root cause is classified as CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), stemming from insufficient escaping of the title parameter and the absence of prepared statements in the plugin's SQL query handling. The vulnerable code is located in Controllers/class-clever-reach-article-search-controller.php at line 159 of version 1.5.20. Because no authentication is required, a remote attacker can send crafted HTTP requests with malicious SQL payloads appended to the title parameter, causing the database to introduce time delays that confirm query execution (blind/time-based injection technique) (Wordfence, WordPress Plugin Trac).

Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated remote attackers to extract sensitive information from the WordPress database, including user credentials, email addresses, API keys, and other confidential site data. The confidentiality impact is rated High, while integrity and availability are unaffected by this specific vector. Exposure of WordPress user hashes or admin credentials could enable further account takeover and lateral movement within the hosting environment (Wordfence, Red Hat CVE).

No public exploit code or active in-the-wild exploitation has been reported as of the available data. The EPSS score is approximately 0.068%, indicating a low but non-negligible probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, though CISA referenced it in its weekly vulnerability bulletin for the week of August 4, 2025. The unauthenticated, network-accessible attack vector with low complexity makes it straightforward to exploit if targeted (CISA Bulletin, Wordfence).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites running the CleverReach® WP plugin (versions ≤1.5.20) using tools like WPScan, Shodan, or Google dorks targeting plugin-specific paths.
2. Locate vulnerable endpoint: Identify the article search controller endpoint that processes the title parameter, accessible without authentication.
3. Craft time-based SQL payload: Construct a request with a malicious title parameter value containing a time-based SQL injection payload (e.g., appending AND SLEEP(5)-- or equivalent) to confirm injection.
4. Enumerate database: Use automated tools such as sqlmap with time-based blind injection mode to systematically extract database schema, table names, and sensitive data (e.g., wp_users table for usernames and password hashes).
5. Exfiltrate credentials: Retrieve WordPress admin password hashes and other sensitive configuration data from the database for offline cracking or direct use (Wordfence, WordPress Plugin Trac).

• Network: Unusual HTTP requests to the CleverReach article search endpoint with anomalous title parameter values containing SQL keywords (SLEEP, BENCHMARK, AND, OR, UNION, SELECT); repeated requests with slight parameter variations indicative of automated enumeration.
• Logs: WordPress or web server access logs showing high volumes of requests to the CleverReach controller path with encoded or suspicious query strings; requests resulting in delayed responses (indicative of SLEEP()-based payloads).
• Database: Unexpected or elevated query execution times logged in MySQL slow query logs; queries referencing SLEEP() or BENCHMARK() functions originating from the web application user.
• Process: Unusual database activity patterns such as sequential enumeration of table names or column data outside normal application behavior (Wordfence).

Site administrators should update the CleverReach® WP plugin to a version beyond 1.5.20 that addresses this vulnerability. If an updated version is not yet available, disabling the plugin entirely is the recommended interim workaround to eliminate the attack surface. Administrators should also review web application firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable parameter, and audit database logs for signs of prior exploitation (Wordfence, WordPress Plugin Page).

Wordfence, which discovered and reported the vulnerability, published it in their weekly WordPress vulnerability report for August 4–10, 2025, highlighting it as part of a broader set of plugin-level SQL injection issues (Wordfence Weekly Report). CISA included the CVE in its weekly vulnerability bulletin (SB25-223), signaling broader awareness in the security community (CISA Bulletin). Qualys also catalogued the vulnerability in its August 2025 web application detection updates (Qualys). Social media activity was minimal, with limited discussion observed on Bluesky.