CVE-2025-5287 is a high-severity SQL Injection vulnerability affecting the Likes and Dislikes Plugin for WordPress developed by erumfaham. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.0. The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89), specifically due to insufficient escaping and lack of prepared statements for the 'post' parameter. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious SQL code into the 'post' parameter, which is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization. This allows the attacker to append additional SQL commands, potentially extracting sensitive information from the underlying database. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, and the attack vector is network accessible (remote). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5 (high), reflecting the ease of exploitation and the significant confidentiality impact, though integrity and availability are not affected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published yet. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on May 28, 2025, and assigned by Wordfence. The plugin is used within WordPress environments, which are widely deployed across many organizations globally, including in Europe.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those using the erumfaham Likes and Dislikes Plugin on their WordPress sites. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data stored in the database, such as user credentials, personal information, or business-critical data. This breach of confidentiality could result in regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, leading to legal penalties and reputational damage. Since the vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote exploitation, attackers can target vulnerable sites at scale without needing user credentials or interaction. This increases the likelihood of automated scanning and exploitation attempts. The impact is particularly critical for sectors handling sensitive or regulated data, such as finance, healthcare, government, and e-commerce. Additionally, compromised sites could be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks or data exfiltration. Although integrity and availability are not directly impacted, the confidentiality breach alone is severe enough to warrant urgent remediation.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should immediately implement compensating controls. First, disable or remove the erumfaham Likes and Dislikes Plugin if it is not essential. If removal is not feasible, restrict access to the vulnerable functionality by implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the 'post' parameter. Employ input validation and sanitization at the application level to reject suspicious inputs. Monitor web server and database logs for unusual query patterns or repeated failed attempts. Organizations should also consider isolating the WordPress environment to limit database exposure and enforce the principle of least privilege on database accounts used by WordPress. Once an official patch is released, prioritize immediate application. Additionally, conduct a thorough security audit to detect any signs of compromise. Regular backups and incident response plans should be updated to prepare for potential exploitation.