CVE-2025-3436 in Activity Logging Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/08/2025
The coreActivity: Activity Logging for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to SQL Injection via the 'order' and 'orderby' parameters in all versions up to, and including, 2.7 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to append additional SQL queries into already existing queries that can be used to extract sensitive information from the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/06/2026
The vulnerability in the coreActivity: Activity Logging plugin for WordPress represents a critical SQL injection flaw that undermines the security integrity of affected systems. This weakness exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied input parameters, specifically the 'order' and 'orderby' variables that are processed without adequate sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.7, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that utilize this activity logging functionality.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from insufficient escaping mechanisms applied to user-provided parameters within the SQL query construction process. When authenticated users with subscriber-level privileges or higher submit requests containing malicious input through these parameters, the plugin fails to properly isolate the user data from the database query structure. This lack of proper input validation and parameter preparation creates an environment where attackers can manipulate existing SQL statements to inject additional commands. The vulnerability operates at the database layer, allowing for direct manipulation of query execution paths that would normally be protected by proper security measures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to WordPress installations as it requires only subscriber-level access to exploit successfully. This low privilege requirement makes the attack vector particularly dangerous since subscribers typically have minimal security considerations in many environments. Attackers can leverage this weakness to extract sensitive information from the database including user credentials, personal data, and potentially system configuration details. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as the injected SQL commands could potentially enable further exploitation or persistence mechanisms within the affected systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. Additionally, this weakness maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566.002 for credential access through exploitation of vulnerabilities. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that WordPress plugins often serve as entry points for more extensive compromise operations, making this vulnerability a potential gateway for further lateral movement within affected networks. Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including plugin updates to patched versions and consideration of additional input validation measures.
Mitigation approaches should prioritize immediate patching of the coreActivity: Activity Logging plugin to versions that properly escape user parameters and utilize prepared statements for database queries. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual SQL query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Access controls should be reviewed to ensure that subscriber accounts have minimal necessary privileges, and multi-factor authentication should be implemented where possible. Database administrators should implement proper query auditing and logging to identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SQL injection patterns targeting these specific parameters. The remediation process must include thorough testing of updated plugin versions to ensure compatibility with existing systems while addressing the fundamental security flaws in parameter handling.