Plugin Name	GoZen Forms
Type of Vulnerability	SQL Injection
CVE Number	CVE-2025-6783
Urgency	High
CVE Publish Date	2026-02-01
Source URL	CVE-2025-6783

Urgent: Critical SQL Injection Vulnerability in GoZen Forms (≤ 1.1.5) — Immediate Actions for WordPress Site Owners

Summary: A severe unauthenticated SQL injection flaw (CVE-2025-6783) has been publicly disclosed in the GoZen Forms WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to 1.1.5. This vulnerability lies within the emdedSc() function, enabling remote attackers to submit crafted input that bypasses essential sanitization, resulting in unauthorized database queries. With a high CVSS score of 9.3, this vulnerability can lead to significant data leaks, unauthorized database access, and full site compromise. Managed-WP treats vulnerabilities of this magnitude with utmost seriousness. Below, you’ll find a thorough, prioritized remediation plan, guidance on incident management, and how our team can defend your site proactively while you await official fixes.

Note: This advisory is authored by the Managed-WP security experts for WordPress administrators, developers, and site owners. We provide actionable mitigation tactics that can be implemented immediately—even before an official plugin patch is released.

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Key Information Summary

• Plugin Affected: GoZen Forms
• Impacted Versions: ≤ 1.1.5
• Vulnerability Type: Unauthenticated SQL Injection via emdedSc() function
• CVE Identifier: CVE-2025-6783
• CVSS v3.1 Score: 9.3 (Network Attack, Low Complexity, No Privileges Required, No User Interaction)
• Attack Vector: Remote and unauthenticated
• Immediate Risk Level: High—potential for database exposure, data exfiltration, and site takeover
• Recommended Immediate Response: Deploy WAF rules or deactivate the vulnerable plugin until a secure update is available. Follow incident response guidelines below.

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Technical Overview: Understanding the Vulnerability

The GoZen Forms plugin exposes the function emdedSc(), which processes user inputs meant for embedded content or shortcode rendering. Versions up to 1.1.5 fail to properly sanitize these inputs, allowing attacker-controlled data to reach SQL queries without parameterization or escaping.

This unauthenticated endpoint can be exploited remotely, enabling malicious actors to manipulate SQL queries deliberately. Consequences include unauthorized data access—ranging from user details to sensitive configuration stored in the WordPress database.

The CVSS rating includes:

• Network accessible (AV:N)
• Low complexity attack (AC:L)
• No privileges required (PR:N)
• No user interaction (UI:N)
• Scope change affecting site-wide data (S:C)
• High confidentiality impact (C:H), minimal availability (A:L), and integrity (I:N) impacts.

This combination means attackers can stealthily extract sensitive information without disrupting site operations, making it a prime target for quick exploitation post-disclosure.

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Why This Poses a Severe Threat to Your WordPress Site

• Unauthenticated Attack Surface: Any remote user can exploit this without needing credentials.
• Direct Database Access: Allows unauthorized queries leading to sensitive data exposure.
• Broad Scope of Impact: Potential access to user accounts, emails, post content, and sensitive site configurations.
• High Automation Risk: SQL injection attacks can be automated, causing widespread compromise rapidly.
• Complex Supply Chain Tie-Ins: Forms plugins integrate deeply, complicating detection and containment.

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Common Attacker Goals & Exploitation Scenarios

Attackers exploiting this vulnerability may focus on:

1. Data exfiltration:
   • Harvesting user emails, names, and personal data.
   • Extracting API keys and configuration details.
2. Credential Theft and Lateral Movement:
   • Gathering wp_users data including reset tokens.
   • Leveraging secrets for further attacks on connected services.
3. Reconnaissance for Broader Exploits:
   • Enumerating plugins/themes to identify additional vulnerabilities.
   • Identifying administrators for social engineering or brute force.
4. Persistence & Backdoors:
   • Injecting malicious code or creating rogue users to maintain access.
5. Ransom or Extortion:
   • Threatening to release or sell compromised data.

This underscores the necessity for rapid and comprehensive defensive measures.

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What NOT to Do

• Do not test exploit attempts on live production sites; this risks data loss and potential service disruption.
• Do not ignore the vulnerability hoping your site won’t be targeted.
• Do not delete or modify large datasets or the entire site without proper backups and forensic capture.

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Immediate Mitigation Steps (Prioritized)

If your WordPress site uses GoZen Forms ≤1.1.5, apply the following in order of importance:

1. Deactivate the Plugin Immediately:
   • Via the WP admin dashboard or by renaming the plugin folder with FTP/SSH.
   • This removes the vulnerability exposure instantly.
2. If Disabling is Not an Option, Apply a Web Application Firewall (WAF) Virtual Patch:
   • Block requests with suspicious SQL meta-characters targeting emdedSc().
   • Detect patterns like ', ", ;, --, /*, UNION, SELECT, DROP, INFORMATION_SCHEMA in plugin-related inputs.
   • Whitelist trusted admin IPs and block all others to affected endpoints.
3. Restrict Access:
   • Limit endpoint access by IP or HTTP methods at the server or CDN level.
   • Limit or block unauthorized access to admin-ajax.php or plugin-specific callback endpoints.
4. Harden Database Permissions:
   • Grant minimal privileges necessary to WordPress DB users (avoid DROP, CREATE, ALTER).
5. Monitor Logs:
   • Review server, WAF, and application logs for spikes or suspicious requests referencing the plugin.
6. Backup Immediately:
   • Create full site backups including databases and files before proceeding.
7. Scan for Compromise Indicators:
   • Look for new admin users, file changes, or unexpected scheduled tasks.
   • Perform malware scans on files and databases using trusted tools.
8. If Compromise is Suspected, Rotate Secrets:
   • Change DB credentials, API keys, and force password resets for admins and possibly all users.

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How Managed-WP Safeguards Your Site Differently

At Managed-WP, we specialize in swift, expert response for critical WordPress vulnerabilities like this one by delivering:

• Virtual Patching: Deploy targeted WAF rules tailored to block exploit attempts against emdedSc() and related vectors, even before official patches exist.
• Contextual Detection: Our intelligent filtering distinguishes malicious payloads from legitimate plugin traffic to minimize false positives.
• Proactive Managed Mitigation: Customers on Managed-WP plans benefit from automated updates, prioritized remediation, and continuous monitoring.
• Full Application Security: Combining malware scanning, configuration audits, and file integrity checks to uncover subtle compromises beyond HTTP exploits.
• Incident Response Support: Comprehensive guidance and hands-on assistance for investigation, recovery, and hardening.

Managed-WP clients get rapid, tailored protection and follow-up action by security professionals who understand WordPress deeply.

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Step-by-Step Guide for Site Administrators

1. Identify Sites with Affected Plugin:
   • Search hosting accounts, multisite networks, and plugin inventories for GoZen Forms or plugin slug gozen-forms.
   • Take note of all sites running version ≤1.1.5.
2. Isolate and Protect:
   • Enable maintenance mode and disable the vulnerable plugin if feasible.
   • Otherwise, immediately implement WAF protection and restrict access to vulnerable endpoints.
3. Create Full Backups and Preserve Logs:
   • Backup files and databases fully.
   • Retain server, WAF, plugin logs for at least 90 days for forensic purposes.
4. Scan for Indicators of Compromise:
   • Search databases for injected SQL or unusual entries.
   • Inspect file changes, administrative account additions, and scheduled task modifications.
5. Strengthen User and Credential Security:
   • Force password resets for administrators.
   • Remove unneeded or suspicious accounts with elevated privileges.
6. Apply Vendor Patch When Available:
   • Test official updates in staging environments prior to production deployment.
   • Verify fixes through security scans and monitoring.
7. Communicate with Stakeholders:
   • Inform relevant clients or site owners about mitigation status.
   • Adhere to breach notification requirements if data exposure is confirmed.

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Recommended Detection Signatures and Rule Guidance

Below are example detection strategies to tailor for your WAF or security tools. Test thoroughly to avoid impacting legitimate traffic:

• Block inputs containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, INFORMATION_SCHEMA, LOAD_FILE, and CONCAT in unexpected fields.
• Detect SQL comment patterns (/*, */, --) embedded within form data.
• Limit input lengths and allowed characters for plugin shortcode parameters to feasible values.
• Rate-limit repeated requests from the same IP targeting the vulnerable endpoint.
• Monitor and block known exploit tool user agents or automated scanners.

If you leverage managed WAF/CDN services, consult your provider for custom virtual patch deployment.

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Incident Response Checklist (If Exploitation Is Suspected)

• Step 1: Isolate — Block public access via maintenance mode or firewall rules.
• Step 2: Snapshot — Create immutable backups of site and database.
• Step 3: Preserve Logs — Collect server, PHP, database, and WAF logs including suspected attack timeframes.
• Step 4: Scan — Run trusted malware scanners and database integrity checks.
• Step 5: Revoke/Rorate — Change database passwords, API keys, and user credentials as necessary.
• Step 6: Clean — Remove malicious files, cleanup database injections, and disable rogue users.
• Step 7: Restore — If needed, restore from clean backups and remove or patch the vulnerable plugin.
• Step 8: Monitor — Maintain heightened observation for at least 30 days to detect persistent threats.

If unsure about any step, consider engaging a security specialist or managed security provider to assist.

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Developer Best Practices to Remediate the Vulnerability

• Implement parameterized queries with prepared statements to prevent SQL injection (e.g., $wpdb->prepare() in WordPress).
• Avoid constructing SQL dynamically by concatenating user inputs.
• Validate and sanitize all user inputs rigorously with whitelisting.
• Escape output appropriately, focusing on context (e.g., HTML escaping vs. SQL escaping).
• Restrict exposure of database interactions via unauthenticated frontend endpoints.
• Incorporate defensive coding reviews and automated tests targeting injection vectors.
• Establish responsible vulnerability disclosure processes with security researchers.

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Long-Term Security Recommendations

• Enforce least privilege on WordPress database user accounts.
• Adopt layered defenses combining secure coding, server hardening, and WAF protections.
• Maintain automated patching pipelines and continuous vulnerability monitoring.
• Utilize managed virtual patching services when critical vulnerabilities surface.
• Regularly test backup restorations and incident recovery plans.
• Educate administrators and developers on plugin security and patching workflows.

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Responsible Disclosure & Community Collaboration

The WordPress security ecosystem relies heavily on responsible disclosure from researchers:

• Report vulnerabilities privately to plugin developers first, allowing timely patching.
• If vendors are unresponsive, use recognized coordination platforms or security disclosure contacts.
• Avoid public disclosure prior to patch availability to protect end users.

Managed-WP commends all security researchers who contribute to a safer WordPress environment.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is my site safe if I use a newer version of GoZen Forms?
A: If your version is above 1.1.5 and confirmed patched by the vendor, you are likely protected but should maintain vigilance and keep plugins updated.

Q: What if I cannot disable GoZen Forms due to business needs?
A: Implement strict WAF rules to block SQLi attempts, restrict access to vulnerable endpoints by IP, and monitor traffic thoroughly. Consider Managed-WP’s virtual patching services.

Q: Should I remove GoZen Forms altogether?
A: If not essential, removing the plugin reduces exposure. Otherwise, restrict or mitigate until a validated update is applied.

Q: I detected suspicious behavior on my site. Who can help?
A: Seek assistance from your managed security provider or a qualified security professional for incident response support.

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Protect Your Site Now with Managed-WP’s Security Plans

Immediate protection is critical when a high-risk vulnerability emerges. Managed-WP offers comprehensive, managed defense solutions:

• Basic (Free): Essential managed firewall and malware scanning, handling core WordPress risks.
• Standard ($50/year | $4.17/month): Adds automated malware removal and IP black/whitelisting capabilities.
• Pro ($299/year | $24.92/month): Includes monthly security reports, automatic vulnerability virtual patching, and premium services like dedicated account manager and support tokens.

Our virtual patching technology stops exploit attempts proactively, buying you critical time for vendor patches.

Sign up for Managed-WP protection today and secure your WordPress environment with expert oversight: https://managed-wp.com/pricing

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Closing Thoughts — Stay Vigilant and Prepared

The GoZen Forms SQL injection vulnerability is a stark reminder that plugins exposing unauthenticated content processing surfaces must be scrutinized carefully. Immediate, layered security responses— including deactivation, virtual patching, diligent incident response, and long-term hardening—are crucial to safeguarding your WordPress assets.

Managed-WP empowers site owners to act promptly, defend against evolving threats, and recover securely. Contact us anytime for assistance implementing mitigation or for Managed-WP’s premium protection.

Secure smarter, respond faster, and protect comprehensively.

— Managed-WP Security Team

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References and Additional Resources

• CVE-2025-6783 Official Advisory
• SQL Injection Prevention in WordPress (using $wpdb->prepare() and parameterized queries)
• OWASP Top 10 — Injection

If you need tailored support or have additional indicators after following these steps, Managed-WP’s security team is ready to assist.

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