CVE-2025-49421 is a high-severity SQL Injection vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin WP Text Expander developed by Andrei Filonov. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89), allowing an attacker with high privileges to inject malicious SQL code. The affected versions include all versions up to 1.0.1, with no specific lower bound version provided. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.6, indicating a high severity level. The vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L reveals that the attack can be performed remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), but requires the attacker to have high privileges (PR:H) on the WordPress site. No user interaction is needed (UI:N). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact is critical on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity (I:N) and low impact on availability (A:L). This suggests that an attacker can extract sensitive data from the database but cannot modify or delete it significantly. No public exploits are known at this time. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because SQL Injection can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, potentially exposing sensitive user or site data stored in the database. The lack of available patches or updates at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation. The vulnerability affects WordPress sites using the WP Text Expander plugin, which is used to manage and insert predefined text snippets, a functionality that may be widely used in content management and editorial workflows.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of data stored within WordPress sites using the WP Text Expander plugin. Many European companies, government agencies, and non-profits rely on WordPress for their web presence and content management. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information such as personal data protected under GDPR, internal communications, or proprietary content. The high confidentiality impact combined with the changed scope means that attackers could access data beyond the plugin itself, potentially compromising entire databases. This could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. Since the vulnerability requires high privileges, it is likely exploitable by insiders or attackers who have already compromised lower-level accounts, emphasizing the need for strict access controls. The low availability impact suggests that service disruption is less likely, but data leakage remains a critical concern. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits rapidly after disclosure.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the WP Text Expander plugin and its version. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin to eliminate the attack vector. Implement strict access controls and limit high-privilege accounts to trusted administrators only, reducing the risk of privilege escalation. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL Injection attempts targeting the plugin's endpoints. Regularly monitor logs for suspicious SQL queries or unusual database access patterns. Conduct thorough security reviews of all plugins and themes, ensuring they come from reputable sources and are kept up to date. Additionally, organizations should prepare for rapid patch deployment once a fix becomes available and consider isolating WordPress databases from other critical systems to limit potential lateral movement. Backup data frequently and verify the integrity of backups to enable recovery in case of compromise.