CVE-2025-6970 in Events Manager Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2025
The Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, and more! plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to time-based SQL Injection via the ‘orderby’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 7.0.3 due to insufficient escaping on the user supplied parameter and lack of sufficient preparation on the existing SQL query. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers 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 • 07/10/2025
The CVE-2025-6970 vulnerability affects the Events Manager plugin for WordPress, a widely used calendar and booking management solution that handles event scheduling, ticketing, and reservation systems. This particular flaw exists in versions up to and including 7.0.3, making it a significant concern for WordPress site administrators who rely on this plugin for their event management needs. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization practices within the plugin's database query execution logic, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a time-based SQL injection attack vector that targets the 'orderby' parameter in the plugin's request handling mechanism. When an attacker submits a specially crafted request containing malicious SQL payload within the orderby parameter, the plugin fails to properly escape or sanitize this input before incorporating it into existing SQL queries. This lack of proper input sanitization creates a condition where attacker-controlled data can be interpreted as part of the SQL command rather than as simple data, allowing for arbitrary SQL command execution. The vulnerability is classified as time-based because the attacker can infer information from the database through timing variations in query execution responses, making it particularly dangerous for information extraction attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for affected WordPress installations, as it allows unauthenticated attackers to perform unauthorized database operations without requiring valid credentials or administrative access. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, event details, booking information, and potentially other database contents that may contain system configuration data or other confidential information. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the plugin and can lead to complete database compromise, especially when combined with other exploitation techniques or when the database contains sensitive user information. This type of attack can result in data breaches, unauthorized access to booking systems, and potential compromise of the entire WordPress installation if proper security measures are not in place.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the Events Manager plugin to version 7.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the SQL injection vulnerability. Administrators should also implement proper input validation and sanitization measures at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly escaped before being used in database queries. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious SQL injection patterns and blocking malicious requests. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability corresponds to CWE-89 SQL Injection, while the ATT&CK framework would classify this under T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS, where attackers may use the vulnerability to exfiltrate data through time-based techniques. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify any other potentially vulnerable plugins or components that may be susceptible to similar attacks.