CVE-2025-48274 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the WP Job Portal plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to 2.3.2. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands (CWE-89), allowing an attacker to perform Blind SQL Injection attacks. Blind SQL Injection occurs when an attacker can send crafted SQL queries to the backend database but does not receive direct query results; instead, they infer data based on the application's response behavior or timing. This vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N, PR:N, UI:N). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 9.3 (critical), reflecting high impact on confidentiality (C:H), no impact on integrity (I:N), and low impact on availability (A:L). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, potentially impacting the entire WordPress site or connected systems. The vulnerability allows attackers to extract sensitive data from the backend database, such as user credentials, personal information, or business data, without altering the database content. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the high severity and ease of exploitation make this a significant threat to websites using the WP Job Portal plugin. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring. Given the plugin’s role in job portal functionality, compromised sites could lead to data breaches affecting job seekers and employers, damaging trust and compliance with data protection regulations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to confidentiality of personal and business data processed through WP Job Portal installations. Many European companies use WordPress-based job portals for recruitment, making them potential targets. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII), including names, contact details, resumes, and possibly sensitive employment data. This exposure risks violating the EU's GDPR regulations, potentially resulting in legal penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, attackers could leverage extracted data for further phishing or social engineering campaigns targeting European employees or partners. The changed scope of the vulnerability implies that attackers might pivot from the vulnerable plugin to compromise the broader WordPress environment, potentially gaining access to administrative functions or other integrated services. This could disrupt recruitment operations, cause data loss, and undermine business continuity. The vulnerability’s remote and unauthenticated nature increases the attack surface, especially for publicly accessible job portals. Organizations in sectors with high recruitment activity, such as technology, finance, and manufacturing, are particularly at risk. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the critical severity score indicates that rapid response is essential to prevent exploitation.

1. Immediate mitigation should include disabling or removing the WP Job Portal plugin until a security patch is released. 2. Monitor official vendor channels and security advisories for updates or patches addressing CVE-2025-48274. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically designed to detect and block SQL Injection payloads targeting WP Job Portal endpoints. Custom rules can be created based on known SQL injection patterns and plugin-specific URL parameters. 4. Conduct thorough security audits of all WordPress plugins and themes to identify and remediate other potential vulnerabilities. 5. Restrict database user permissions for the WordPress installation to the minimum necessary, preventing excessive access that could be exploited via SQL Injection. 6. Employ database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns indicative of injection attempts. 7. Regularly back up website data and databases to enable recovery in case of compromise. 8. Educate site administrators on the risks of installing unverified plugins and maintaining timely updates. 9. Consider deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) and other hardening techniques to reduce attack surface. 10. For organizations with multiple WordPress instances, prioritize scanning and patching those exposed to the internet and those handling sensitive recruitment data.