CVE-2025-13248: Critical SQL Injection Vulnerability Threatens SourceCodester Patient Queue System

Overview

A high-severity SQL injection vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-13248, has been discovered in SourceCodester’s Patients Waiting Area Queue Management System version 1.0. This flaw allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially compromising sensitive patient data and system integrity. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation.

Technical Details

The vulnerability resides in the /php/api_patient_schedule.php file within the application. Specifically, the appointmentID parameter is susceptible to SQL injection. By manipulating this parameter, an attacker can inject malicious SQL code into the database query, potentially allowing them to:

• Read sensitive data, including patient information, appointments, and administrator credentials.
• Modify or delete data, disrupting the system’s functionality.
• Gain unauthorized access to the database server.

The fact that an exploit is publicly available significantly increases the likelihood of exploitation.

CVSS Analysis

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) provides a standardized way to assess the severity of vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-13248 has been assigned a CVSS score of 7.3 (HIGH). This score reflects the following characteristics:

• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – The vulnerability can be exploited remotely.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – The vulnerability is relatively easy to exploit.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N) – No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user interaction is required to trigger the vulnerability.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority.
• Confidentiality Impact (C): High (H) – There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker.
• Integrity Impact (I): High (H) – There is total loss of integrity, resulting in complete and irreversible alteration of resources within the impacted component.
• Availability Impact (A): High (H) – There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully prevent access to resources (e.g., denial of service).

Possible Impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-13248 could have severe consequences, including:

• Data Breach: Exposure of sensitive patient data, leading to privacy violations and potential legal ramifications.
• System Disruption: Disruption of appointment scheduling and patient queue management, impacting healthcare operations.
• Financial Loss: Costs associated with incident response, data breach notification, and potential lawsuits.
• Reputational Damage: Loss of trust from patients and stakeholders.

Mitigation or Patch Steps

To address this vulnerability, the following steps are recommended:

1. Apply the Patch: Check for and apply the official patch released by SourceCodester, if available. Visit the SourceCodester website for updates.
2. Input Validation: Implement robust input validation and sanitization on the appointmentID parameter to prevent SQL injection. Ensure all user-supplied data is properly escaped before being used in database queries.
3. Parameterized Queries: Utilize parameterized queries or prepared statements to separate SQL code from user-supplied data. This is the most effective way to prevent SQL injection.
4. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts.
5. Database Security Hardening: Follow best practices for database security hardening, including using strong passwords, limiting database user privileges, and regularly patching the database server.

References

GitHub: CVE-2025-13248 Exploit Details
VulDB: CVE-2025-13248 Detailed Information
VulDB: Vulnerability ID 332582
SourceCodester Official Website