Pluginnaam	onOffice for WP-Websites
Type of Vulnerability	SQL-injectie
CVE Number	CVE-2025-10045
Urgentie	Laag
CVE Publish Date	2025-10-15
Source URL	CVE-2025-10045

onOffice for WP‑Websites (<= 5.7) — Authenticated (Editor+) SQL Injection: What site owners must know and how to protect WordPress right now

Gepubliceerd: 15 October 2025
CVE: CVE-2025-10045 — CVSS: 7.6 (A1: Injection)
Affected software: onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin versions <= 5.7
Required privilege to exploit: Editor (authenticated user with Editor capabilities)
Official patch: Not available (as of publication)

As the team behind WP‑Firewall, we monitor WordPress plugin vulnerabilities closely because the decisions you make within minutes of disclosure determine whether your site is safe or becomes a victim. This advisory unpacks the recent authenticated SQL injection reported in onOffice for WP‑Websites (<= 5.7), explains real risk and exploitability, and — most importantly — gives practical, prioritized steps you can take immediately to protect your site, including virtual patching patterns you can apply with a web application firewall.

Note: this is written for site owners, developers and security-conscious admins. It avoids reproducing exploit code and focuses on detection, mitigation, and recovery.

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Quick summary (TL;DR)

• The onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin (<= 5.7) contains an SQL injection vulnerability exploitable by an authenticated user with Editor privileges.
• Because an Editor account is commonly available on many sites (or can be created after an account compromise), this vulnerability can allow direct interaction with the WordPress database: read sensitive data, modify content, and potentially escalate an attack to a broader compromise.
• CVE-2025-10045 has a CVSS 7.6 rating — a high score indicating serious impact potential even though it requires a logged‑in Editor.
• There is no official fix available at publication time. Immediate mitigation options include deactivating the plugin, restricting Editor access, applying virtual patching rules in WP‑Firewall, and following incident response guidance below.
• If you run a site with Editors or use this plugin, act now: follow the checklist in this advisory.

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Why an Editor‑level SQLi matters

An SQL injection vulnerability that requires “Editor” privileges is sometimes downplayed because it’s not publicly exploitable by anonymous users. In practice, however:

• Editor accounts exist on many sites (news sites, multi-author blogs, membership organizations) and are often targeted via phishing or credential stuffing.
• Compromised Editor accounts are a common attack vector. Attackers may purchase or obtain Editor credentials on underground markets.
• Editors can often perform content changes and, depending on site configuration, can upload media or interact with admin endpoints — these abilities can be abused to persist backdoors or inject malicious content.
• SQL injection gives an attacker direct access to the database. Even if they cannot immediately gain full admin privileges, they can read user emails, reset tokens, metadata, or craft targeted privilege escalation attacks.

In short: requiring Editor privileges reduces the attack surface but does not make the vulnerability safe.

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What we know about the vulnerability

• Type: SQL Injection (OWASP A1: Injection)
• CVE: CVE‑2025‑10045
• Affected versions: onOffice for WP‑Websites <= 5.7
• Required privilege: Editor (authenticated)
• Impact: Database disclosure, modification, potential data exfiltration or manipulation.
• Official fix: Not yet available at time of disclosure.

The vulnerability was reported and publicly described by security researchers. The root cause commonly stems from unsanitized user input being inserted into SQL queries without proper parameterization (e.g., using string concatenation instead of prepared statements). In plugin contexts this frequently occurs in admin AJAX endpoints or form handlers where the plugin trusts a logged‑in user and doesn’t fully validate inputs.

Because we must avoid sharing exploit code, this advisory does not include proof‑of‑concept payloads. Instead we provide detection, mitigation, and remediation guidance that you can implement immediately.

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Risk assessment — who should worry most

• Sites running onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin (any version <= 5.7): high priority.
• Sites with multiple editors, especially those enabling editors to upload media or manage content: elevated risk.
• Sites that allow self‑registration followed by Editor promotion via misconfigured workflows: watch out.
• Agencies and hosters managing many client sites that use this plugin: treat this as a mass urgency item.

Even if your site does not actively use Editor accounts, consider the following: an attacker who compromises any sufficiently privileged account (Author with misconfigured capabilities, or an account that was inadvertently granted extra rights) could exploit this. Therefore assume the vulnerability is relevant unless you have verified your site configuration and plugin usage.

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Immediate actions for site owners (ordered)

1. Inventory and assess
   • Verify whether the onOffice for WP‑Websites plugin is installed and active.
   • Identify plugin version — if <= 5.7, consider the site affected.
2. Temporary containment
   • If the plugin is active and you cannot immediately patch through an official update, disable/deactivate the plugin until a safe fix is available.
     • Note: deactivation may break site features; weigh this against risk.
   • If deactivating is not possible, restrict access to areas served by the plugin (IP whitelist for admin, HTTP auth, or remove public access to plugin endpoints).
3. Limit Editor access
   • Audit users with the Editor role and reduce numbers to only trusted people.
   • Remove or downgrade unused Editor accounts.
   • Force password resets for Editors and other privileged users. Encourage or enforce strong passwords and MFA.
4. Apply virtual patching (recommended for managed sites)
   • Deploy WAF rules to block attempts to exploit SQL injection in plugin endpoints (examples and patterns below).
5. Monitor logs and signs of compromise
   • Review web server logs, WordPress activity logs, and database access for suspicious queries or unexpected admin actions.
   • Look for unusual POST requests to plugin endpoints, repeated attempts containing SQL metacharacters, or unauthorized content changes.
6. Prepare for incident response
   • Back up database and site files immediately (store offline).
   • If you detect suspicious activity, isolate the host and consider a full incident response workflow (revoking keys, rotating credentials, restoring from clean backup if necessary).

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Recommended detection steps (what to look for)

Search your logs for unusual patterns. Some practical checks:

• Web server / application logs
  • Unexpected POST requests to plugin-related paths (look for plugin slug in URLs).
  • POST parameters containing SQL keywords (SELECT, UNION, OR 1=1, –, /*).
  • Excessive requests from authenticated editor accounts to an endpoint.

  # Look for SQL metacharacters in requests that reference the plugin slug
  grep -i "onoffice" /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep -Ei "select|union|or%20|--|/\*|drop|insert"
  

• WordPress activity logs (if you have a logging plugin)
  • Unusual post edits, metadata changes, or new admin users added by Editors.
  • Repeated failed or unusual operations invoked by Editor accounts.
• Database logs
  • Unusual, complex queries from the web server user.
  • Queries containing literal SQL fragments embedded in parameters.

If you find anything suspicious, isolate the site and treat it as potentially compromised (see incident response below).

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Practical temporary mitigations (safe and reversible)

• Deactivate the plugin until a patched release becomes available.
• If you must keep it running:
  • Restrict access to wp‑admin by IP so only trusted addresses can reach the dashboard.
  • Add an HTTP auth layer to wp‑admin/wp‑login.php for your administrators.
  • Remove Editor privileges from users who do not absolutely need them; temporarily promote a minimal set of trusted admins.
  • Require MFA for all logged‑in Editor and Administrator accounts.

These steps reduce the likelihood an attacker with low privileges can exploit the SQL injection.

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WP‑Firewall virtual patching recommendations (WAF rule guidance)

As the maintainers of WP‑Firewall, we recommend deploying the following mitigations immediately in your WAF while awaiting an official plugin patch. These rules are designed to block exploitation attempts without breaking legitimate editor workflows.

1. Block suspicious SQL tokens in POST or GET parameters for the plugin’s endpoints.

   Pseudo‑rule (conceptual):

   • If request URI contains plugin slug (e.g., /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=onoffice_*) OR other plugin admin URLs
   • AND request body or query string contains SQL metacharacters / keywords such as: UNION, SELECT, INFORMATION_SCHEMA, OR 1=1, /*, –, ; DROP
   • THEN block and log with high priority.

   Example regex to detect common SQLi patterns in parameters (use carefully and test):

   (?i:union(?:\s+all)?\s+select|select\s+.*\s+from|information_schema|or\s+1\s*=\s*1|--|/\*|\bdrop\s+table\b|;)

2. Enforce expected parameter types and lengths
   • If a parameter is expected to be numeric (id, post_id), block requests where the value is non-numeric or excessively long.
   • If a parameter is expected to be one of a short fixed list, block unknown values.
3. Require valid WP nonces for administrative endpoints
   • If the plugin exposes AJAX actions that perform DB writes, require a valid WP nonce. In the WAF, deny write requests that lack a valid nonce header or expected nonce pattern.
4. Reject requests from authenticated Editor accounts performing non‑UI operations
   • Block certain AJAX actions from users who are not Administrators (if those actions should only be done by Admins).
   • Example: If an AJAX action is dangerous and should only run for ‘manage_options’, block it for users not in that capability group.
5. Rate limiting and anomaly detection
   • Rate limit POST requests to plugin endpoints to prevent automated exploitation.
   • Alert on multiple failures or repeated suspicious payloads from the same IP or account.
6. Logging and alerting
   • Log blocked attempts with full request details (excluding any sensitive tokens), and alert your security team.

If you use WP‑Firewall: enable our prebuilt virtual patch signature for CVE‑2025‑10045 (if available) or create custom rules following the patterns above.

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Code‑level advice for developers (how the plugin should be fixed)

If you maintain plugins or are a developer asked to harden the code, follow these principles:

1. Use parameterized queries and avoid concatenating user input into SQL
   • In WordPress, always use $wpdb->prepare() for dynamic SQL.
   • Do not use sprintf() or direct string concatenation to build queries with user input.

   Example of a vulnerable pattern (don’t use):

   <?php
   // VULNERABLE
   $search = $_POST['search_term'];
   $sql = "SELECT * FROM {$wpdb->prefix}onoffice_table WHERE name LIKE '%$search%'";
   $rows = $wpdb->get_results($sql);
   ?>
   

   Secure replacement using $wpdb->prepare():

   <?php
   $search = isset($_POST['search_term']) ? wp_unslash($_POST['search_term']) : '';
   $search = '%' . $wpdb->esc_like( $search ) . '%';
   $sql = $wpdb->prepare(
       "SELECT * FROM {$wpdb->prefix}onoffice_table WHERE name LIKE %s",
       $search
   );
   $rows = $wpdb->get_results( $sql );
   ?>
   

2. Validate and sanitize all input early
   • Use strict validation — if a parameter should be an integer use intval() of filter_var(..., FILTER_VALIDATE_INT).
   • For strings, use sanitize_text_veld() En esc_sql() where appropriate (though prepared statements are preferred).
3. Capability checks and nonces
   • Verify the current user has the expected capability before performing any DB write or sensitive read.
   • Gebruik current_user_can('manage_options') or a capability appropriate to the action.
   • Verify a valid WP nonce for admin AJAX and form handlers:

   <?php
   if ( ! isset( $_POST['my_nonce'] ) || ! wp_verify_nonce( $_POST['my_nonce'], 'onoffice_action' ) ) {
       wp_die( 'Invalid request' );
   }
   ?>
   

4. Principle of least privilege
   • Do not expose unnecessary functionality to Editors if not needed.
   • Consider introducing plugin-level capabilities that site owners can grant or remove.
5. Use prepared statements for all SQL and avoid dynamic table names built from user input.
6. Logging and monitoring
   • Add structured logging for failed capability checks and suspicious input shapes (without logging full secrets).

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How to detect if your site was exploited

• Look for new or modified database rows that were not authorized:
  • Unexpected new users, changed user roles, or unauthorized password resets.
  • Strange content edits or injected links/content in published posts.
• Check for web shells or new PHP files in wp‑content/uploads or other writable directories.
• Review last modified times on themes/plugins and check git or backups for differences.
• Investigate outgoing network calls from your site (phoning home to attacker domains).
• Check the database for suspicious SELECT queries in database logs if available.

If you find evidence of exploitation:

• Isolate the site immediately (take it offline or redirect traffic).
• Preserve logs and a copy of the compromised site for forensic analysis.
• Rotate all credentials: WordPress user passwords, database password, API keys, and any 3rd‑party keys stored on the site.
• Consider a full restore from a known‑good backup and patch the vulnerability before bringing the site back online.

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Recovery checklist

1. Backup current state (logs, DB dump, files).
2. Take site offline or limit access.
3. Remove plugin (or ensure fixed version installed).
4. Scan for backdoors and web shells — check wp‑uploads for PHP files.
5. Rotate all passwords and API keys.
6. Ensure all plugins, themes and core are updated to supported versions.
7. Reissue SSL certs / tokens if they may have been exposed.
8. Reintroduce users with cautious role assignments, enforce MFA.
9. Monitor logs aggressively for several weeks following the event.

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Long‑term hardening & best practices

• Maintain least privilege: assign Editor role sparingly.
• Use MFA / 2FA for all elevated accounts.
• Keep all plugins and core up to date and remove unused plugins.
• Implement a WAF that provides virtual patching so you can mitigate issues while waiting for official fixes.
• Regularly audit plugin inventory — remove plugins that are no longer maintained.
• Use staging for updates and security testing, and continuously backup.
• Consider a vulnerability disclosure policy for plugin vendors and monitor CVE feeds regularly.

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For agencies and hosts: mitigate at scale

If you manage dozens or hundreds of WordPress sites:

• Scan your fleet for the onOffice plugin and affected versions — automate inventory collection via WP‑CLI or management dashboard.
• Roll out WAF virtual rules across all sites to block exploit attempts centrally.
• Notify customers who have the plugin installed and give them clear remediation options (disable plugin, temporarily restrict editor access, or enable WAF rules).
• Prioritize clients with Editors and high‑value targets (eCommerce, membership sites).

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Indicators of attack (IoCs) to watch for

• Repeated POST requests containing SQL tokens to admin AJAX endpoints tied to onOffice.
• Unusual admin actions performed by Editor accounts (bulk edits, meta changes).
• Database queries containing long concatenated strings, SQL comments or UNIONs initiated shortly after Editor login activity.

Record and retain these events for investigations.

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Final recommendations — prioritized checklist

If you run a site with onOffice for WP‑Websites (<= 5.7):

1. Immediately verify whether the plugin is installed and which version is active. If affected, act now.
2. If feasible, disable the plugin until a fixed version is released.
3. Audit Editor accounts and enforce password resets + MFA.
4. Deploy WAF virtual rules that block SQL injection patterns on plugin endpoints.
5. Monitor logs for suspicious activity and prepare backups and incident response measures.
6. When an official patch is released, test on staging and then update promptly.

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Closing thoughts

Authenticated SQL injection vulnerabilities are a reminder that threats don’t always start at the perimeter — they often begin with a compromised account or an over-privileged user. The responsible steps you take now (audit users, enable MFA, deploy WAF virtual patching, tighten capabilities) greatly reduce your attack surface and protect your site while the plugin vendor produces an official fix.

WP‑Firewall is here to help you defend your WordPress sites at all layers: from managed firewall rules and virtual patches to monitoring and incident response guidance. If you need help implementing the rules in this advisory or want our team to deploy virtual patching across your sites, start with the Basic (Free) offering and we’ll walk you through the next steps: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

Stay safe and treat Editor‑level vulnerabilities seriously — the smallest door left open is the one attackers use.