Critical Authenticated SQL Injection in onOffice Plugin//Published on 2025-10-15//CVE-2025-10045

প্লাগইনের নাম	onOffice for WP-Websites
Type of Vulnerability	Authenticated SQL Injection
CVE Number	CVE-2025-10045
জরুরি অবস্থা	কম
CVE Publish Date	2025-10-15
Source URL	CVE-2025-10045

Executive summary

A critical security report disclosed an authenticated SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin (versions <= 5.7). The vulnerability is tracked as CVE‑2025‑10045. An attacker with Editor (or higher) privileges can exploit a flaw in how the plugin constructs database queries, allowing manipulation of SQL statements. Although exploitation requires an authenticated Editor account (which reduces the immediate internet‑scale risk compared with unauthenticated issues), the potential impact is serious — data theft, data manipulation, and lateral escalation are possible.

This article is written from the perspective of WP‑Firewall (a WordPress web application firewall and security service). We’ll explain the risk, describe short‑ and long‑term mitigations, show safe coding patterns plugin authors should adopt, outline practical detection and hunting steps, and explain how WP‑Firewall’s free plan can protect your site now while you wait for an official plugin fix.

Note: We will not publish exploit payloads or step‑by‑step attack instructions. Our goal is to arm site owners and developers with defensive, practical, and immediately actionable guidance.

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Why this vulnerability matters

• CVE ID: CVE‑2025‑10045
• Affected software: onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin (≤ 5.7)
• Classification: SQL Injection (OWASP A1 / Injection)
• প্রয়োজনীয় সুযোগ-সুবিধা: Editor (authenticated)
• Official fix: Not available at the time of disclosure
• Patch priority: Low (but with CVSS 7.6) — the discrepancy reflects that the required privilege level reduces mass exploitation risk, while the technical impact remains high if an account is compromised.

Why it matters in plain terms: SQL injection gives attackers a way to make the database execute attacker‑controlled queries. Even though this specific vulnerability is only exploitable with an Editor account, many WordPress sites have multiple Editors or elevated users. If an attacker gains Editor credentials through phishing, credential reuse, or other compromises, this vulnerability becomes a powerful post‑compromise tool.

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Risk model — who is exposed?

• Sites running onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin at version 5.7 or earlier.
• Sites where multiple users have Editor or Administrator privileges.
• Multi‑site environments where Editors have privileges across many subsites.
• Sites with weak password hygiene, no 2FA, or where Editors can be added by compromised accounts.
• Any site where the onOffice plugin stores or fetches sensitive data from the database (e.g., client lists, property data, internal records).

Even with the “Editor required” restriction, site operators should treat this vulnerability as actionable because editors are common roles and accounts are often reused or phished.

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High‑level technical description (defensive)

The vulnerability stems from unsafely constructed SQL queries where user‑controlled input is interpolated into SQL statements without proper parameterization or sufficient sanitization. When an Editor submits data through the vulnerable endpoint or admin page, the plugin constructs a SQL query using that input and passes it to WordPress’s database layer in a way that allows SQL to be injected.

Key defensive takeaways:

• Never concatenate raw input into SQL. Always use parameterized queries (e.g., $wpdb->প্রস্তুত করুন()).
• Validate and strictly type user input at the boundary (e.g., integers, allowed strings).
• Enforce capability checks (বর্তমান_ব্যবহারকারী_ক্যান()) and verify nonces for form submissions.
• Limit which roles can access plugin endpoints that trigger database queries.

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Practical mitigation steps for site owners (immediate)

1. Inventory and identify
   • Confirm if your site runs the onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin and the plugin version.
   • If you are on version 5.7 or below, assume the site is vulnerable.
2. Temporary measures (apply immediately)
   • Disable the plugin if you can operate without it. The most reliable mitigation is to remove the vulnerable code path entirely until a patch is available.
   • If disabling is not possible, restrict access to the plugin’s admin pages using server rules (deny by IP for the admin area) or WordPress hooks to block non‑administrator roles from accessing the plugin UI.
   • Harden Editor accounts:
     • Force password reset for all Editor and Administrator accounts.
     • Enable two‑factor authentication (2FA) for all users with elevated privileges.
     • Review active users and remove or downgrade any accounts that are not required.
   • Apply principle of least privilege: if an Editor does not need certain capabilities, use a role editor tool to remove them.
3. Web application firewall (short‑term)
   • Deploy a WAF (managed or via a plugin) and enable rules that block suspicious SQL patterns at the application perimeter. WP‑Firewall customers can enable preconfigured protections that detect and block query patterns associated with SQL injection attempts against known plugin endpoints.
   • Ensure your WAF is logging blocked attempts and alerting admins.
4. Hosting and database hardening
   • Rotate database credentials (update wp-config.php) if you suspect compromise.
   • Ensure the DB user has only the necessary privileges. While WordPress typically requires many DB rights to operate, avoid granting additional administrative rights beyond what WordPress needs.
   • Ensure file system permissions and PHP settings follow best practices (e.g., disable file editing in WP).
5. Detection and monitoring
   • Search logs for suspicious admin POST requests to plugin routes or unusual SQL errors in server logs.
   • Monitor database for unexpected changes (deleted rows, new users, unusual content changes).
   • Run a full site malware scan (file system + database) and inspect recent changes to key WordPress files.
6. Communicate internally
   • Let your content editors know to be vigilant for phishing.
   • Limit the creation of Editor accounts until the plugin is patched.

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How WP‑Firewall helps (feature‑oriented, practical)

WP‑Firewall is designed to protect WordPress sites before a plugin vendor issues an official fix. Here’s how our product and processes mitigate risk from this specific class of vulnerabilities:

• Managed firewall & WAF: We provide prebuilt and continuously updated SQL injection rules tailored for WordPress admin endpoints and common plugin routes. When a vulnerability like this is disclosed, our security researchers create virtual patches (WAF rules) that stop known exploitation attempts at the edge.
• Malware scanner: Scans for indicators of compromise (IOC) in the file system and for suspicious database changes or injected content.
• OWASP Top 10 mitigation: Built‑in protections for injection, cross‑site scripting, broken authentication, and other common issues.
• Logging and alerts: Detailed logs capture blocked attempts and suspicious admin actions so you can triage faster.
• Free plan availability: Our Basic (Free) plan includes essential protection (managed firewall, unlimited bandwidth, WAF, malware scanner, and mitigation of OWASP Top 10 risks) — available at https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/.

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Recommended medium‑term steps (site and team)

• Keep the plugin disabled until a vendor release fixes the vulnerability and you have tested the update in staging.
• Patch management policy:
  • Test plugin updates in a staging environment; follow with immediate update to production.
  • Subscribe to vulnerability feeds or security mailing lists to get notified of plugin issues.
• Access controls:
  • Limit Editor accounts to trusted personnel only.
  • Introduce a workflow that separates content editing and plugin configuration roles.
• Logging & forensics:
  • Retain logs for at least 90 days, including server logs, firewall logs, and WordPress audit logs.
  • If compromise is suspected, preserve logs and disk images and follow an incident response plan.
• Developer guidance (if you operate or maintain the plugin):
  • Replace concatenated SQL strings with parameterized queries using $wpdb->প্রস্তুত করুন().
  • Add capability checks (current_user_can('edit_posts') is not enough — validate specifically against the operation).
  • Use nonces (wp_create_nonce, check_admin_referer) on admin forms.
  • Enforce strict validation and sanitization: intval() for integers, whitelist allowed values for strings, use esc_sql() carefully and only in combination with prepared statements.
  • Add automated tests for input validation and SQL query boundaries.

Example of safe query usage in WordPress:

global $wpdb;
$id = intval( $_POST['property_id'] ?? 0 );
$results = $wpdb->get_results(
    $wpdb->prepare(
        "SELECT * FROM {$wpdb->prefix}onoffice_properties WHERE id = %d",
        $id
    )
);

This example uses type casting and $wpdb->প্রস্তুত করুন() so user input cannot inject SQL.

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Detection: what to look for in server and WP logs

• Unusual POST requests from Editor accounts to plugin admin endpoints, especially outside business hours.
• Unexpected SQL errors or “syntax error” entries in PHP logs that point to database queries.
• Suspicious admin activity: new admin users created, changes to site options, unexpected plugin uploads.
• Database anomalies: sudden dumps of table contents, extra rows in sensitive tables, or mass deletions/updates.
• WAF logs: repeated blocked requests targeting plugin endpoints with SQL‑like patterns.

If you see signs of active exploitation:

• Take the site offline or in maintenance mode to stop further damage.
• Snap backups and preserve forensic evidence.
• Rotate credentials (DB and WordPress user passwords).
• Consider professional incident response for serious breaches.

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Hardening Editors and multi‑role sites

Because this vulnerability is usable by Editors, strengthen how Editor roles are managed:

• Use role‑manager plugins to reduce capabilities for Editors if they don’t need broad access.
• Implement a content submission workflow that requires content approval by an Administrator, reducing the need for many Editors with full privileges.
• Enable IP restrictions for admin access (where feasible), and implement 2FA for all users with edit or higher privileges.
• Enforce strong password policies and monitor for credential reuse across services.

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For hosting providers and agencies: recommended operational actions

• Scan all customer sites for presence of the vulnerable plugin and its version. Notify affected customers immediately with clear instructions.
• If possible, deploy server‑level WAF rules or endpoint blocks to prevent exploitation attempts targeting the plugin admin routes.
• Offer to temporarily disable the plugin for customers who cannot immediately patch.
• Provide guidance on rotating credentials and running full site scans.

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Developer checklist (for plugin maintainers)

• Audit all uses of direct SQL queries and replace with $wpdb->প্রস্তুত করুন() or WP_Query / WPDB APIs.
• Review all admin endpoints for capability checks and nonces.
• Add unit and integration tests that assert SQL parameterization and input validation.
• Release a security patch, publish a changelog with CVE reference, and recommend users update immediately.
• Engage a security reviewer or independent auditor to validate the fix.

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Incident response playbook (concise)

1. Detect: Identify signs of exploitation in logs and WAF alerts.
2. Isolate: Put site into maintenance mode, disable vulnerable plugin.
3. Preserve: Make full backups of files and database; collect logs.
4. Eradicate: Remove backdoors, rotate credentials, clean infected files.
5. Recover: Apply vendor patch (when available), reinstall clean plugin version, restore content from clean backups if needed.
6. Review: Conduct root cause analysis and update policies/procedures.

If you do not have internal IR capability, engage a professional incident response provider experienced with WordPress environments.

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Why CVSS 7.6 but “low patch priority”?

It’s worth clarifying the mixed messaging: CVSS captures technical characteristics (attack complexity, impact on confidentiality/integrity/availability) and may produce a score (7.6 in this case). Patch priority assessments sometimes factor in additional context such as required privileges and the presence of compensating controls. Because exploitation requires an authenticated Editor account (reducing broad, unauthenticated exploitation risk), some vulnerability trackers classify it as lower priority for immediate emergency patching at internet scale — but that does not mean it’s low risk for a given site. If your site has many Editors, weak access controls, or possible credential exposure, treat this as high priority.

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Practical WAF rule guidance (what to block) — for security teams

When building WAF rules to mitigate SQL injection in plugin admin endpoints, consider these defensive strategies:

• Block requests to the specific plugin admin pages that include SQL‑like payloads or suspicious sequences, while allowing legitimate traffic.
• Reject any unexpected SQL metacharacters in parameters that should only accept numeric IDs (e.g., if param is integer only, block when not numeric).
• Enforce strict HTTP method checks — if an endpoint should only receive POST, block non‑POST requests.
• Require authentication and known nonces for admin AJAX calls; block AJAX calls that lack valid admin cookies or nonces.

Example (pseudocode, non‑exploitable):

• If request path matches /wp-admin/admin.php?page=onoffice‑* AND
  • param আইডি contains non‑digits OR
  • payload contains SQL comment patterns or repeated SQL keywords

  => block and log.

Important: tune rules to avoid false positives and test in staging before wide deployment. WP‑Firewall’s managed rules are tuned for WordPress context to reduce false positives while preventing exploitation.

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If your site was compromised via this issue — recovery checklist

• Put site offline.
• Preserve evidence (logs, database dumps).
• Change all admin and Editor passwords and rotate DB credentials.
• Restore from a clean backup taken before the compromise (if available).
• Reinstall WordPress core and plugins from official sources after verifying versions are patched.
• Scan all uploads and themes for backdoors or web shells.
• Reissue salts and keys in wp-config.php.
• Perform a security audit to ensure no attacker persistence (cron jobs, scheduled tasks, unknown admin users).
• Notify affected stakeholders if sensitive data was exposed.

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Lessons learned & long‑term posture

1. Least privilege matters. Limit Editor accounts and audit user capabilities regularly.
2. Vendor security hygiene. Choose plugins with regular security practices; require prompt CVE response.
3. Deploy defense in depth. WAFs, 2FA, strong passwords, and monitoring reduce the blast radius of any single vulnerability.
4. Backup & testing. Automated daily backups and routine restore tests accelerate recovery.
5. Proactive shielding via virtual patching. Where vendor fixes are delayed, a managed WAF that provides virtual patches can close the window of exposure.

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Protect your site with WP‑Firewall Basic — start here

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If you need immediate, reliable protection while waiting for an official plugin fix, WP‑Firewall’s Basic (Free) plan provides essential defenses that block common SQL injection techniques, scan for malware, and mitigate OWASP Top 10 risks. Basic includes a managed firewall, application‑level WAF rules, an automated malware scanner, and unlimited bandwidth so protection doesn’t stop when your site gets busy. Start free at: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

(If you need more automation — automatic malware removal, IP blacklist/whitelist controls, monthly reports, or virtual patching — consider our paid plans that layer on additional remediation and operational support.)

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Final recommendations — immediate action checklist (copy/paste)

• Confirm plugin presence and version (onOffice for WP‑Websites <= 5.7).
• If vulnerable, disable the plugin until patched.
• Force password reset for all Editor/Admin accounts and enable 2FA.
• Rotate database credentials and update wp-config.php if compromise is suspected.
• Deploy a WAF or enable WP‑Firewall protections (free plan available).
• Scan the site for malware and suspicious database changes.
• Audit user accounts; remove unnecessary Editors.
• Subscribe to vendor security updates and apply patch when released.
• Retain and review logs for suspicious activity.

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Appendix — developer secure coding checklist

• ব্যবহার করুন $wpdb->প্রস্তুত করুন() for all dynamic queries.
• Prefer higher‑level APIs (WP_Query, get_posts, WP_User_Query) over manual SQL where possible.
• Escape output with esc_html(), এসএসসি_এটিআর(), esc_url() when rendering.
• Validate input on both client and server; use whitelists for allowed values.
• Add capability checks: current_user_can( 'specific_capability' ).
• Use nonces for form submissions: wp_create_nonce(), check_admin_referer().
• Add unit and integration tests that simulate malicious inputs.
• Use code scanning tools and an SCA (software composition analysis) pipeline as part of CI/CD.

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Closing thoughts

Even vulnerabilities labelled “editor‑only” can be devastating in real operational environments. Editors are often numerous and sometimes shared across teams; credentials get phished; and a single post‑compromise action can quickly escalate. Treat this disclosure as an immediate reminder to verify plugin versions, harden user access, and deploy perimeter controls.

If you need help assessing exposure across multiple sites, automating mitigation, or deploying virtual patches while a vendor fix is pending, WP‑Firewall’s Basic (Free) plan is an effective first step. Learn more and get protected at https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/.

Stay vigilant — and if you want help implementing any of the steps above, our security team can assist with triage, virtual patching, and incident response planning.

— WP‑Firewall Security Team