Overview
CVE-2025-13565 describes a medium-severity vulnerability found in SourceCodester Inventory Management System version 1.0. This vulnerability allows for weak password recovery due to improper handling of the password reset process. An attacker can remotely exploit this flaw to potentially gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
Technical Details
The vulnerability resides within the /model/user/resetPassword.php file. Specifically, an unidentified function within this file is susceptible to manipulation that results in a weak password recovery process. The publicly available exploit allows attackers to bypass security measures and potentially set a predictable or easily guessable password for a target user. The lack of proper authentication and authorization checks, along with insufficient entropy in the password reset mechanism, contributes to the exploitability of this vulnerability.
CVSS Analysis
The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 5.3, classifying it as a MEDIUM severity issue. This score reflects the following factors:
- CVSS Score: 5.3
- Attack Vector: Network (AV:N) – The vulnerability is exploitable remotely.
- Attack Complexity: Low (AC:L) – The vulnerability is relatively easy to exploit.
- Privileges Required: None (PR:N) – No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
- User Interaction: None (UI:N) – No user interaction is required to exploit the vulnerability.
- Scope: Unchanged (S:U) – An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority.
- Confidentiality Impact: None (C:N) – There is no impact to confidentiality.
- Integrity Impact: Low (I:L) – There is a low impact to integrity.
- Availability Impact: None (A:N) – There is no impact to availability.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-13565 can lead to:
- Account Takeover: Attackers can reset passwords of existing users and gain unauthorized access to their accounts.
- Data Breach: If user accounts have access to sensitive data within the Inventory Management System, attackers could potentially steal or manipulate that information.
- System Compromise: Depending on the permissions assigned to the compromised account, attackers might be able to further compromise the entire system.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk of CVE-2025-13565, the following steps should be taken:
- Apply the Patch: Check the SourceCodester website for an official patch or update that addresses this vulnerability.
- Implement Strong Password Policies: Enforce strong password policies, including minimum length, complexity, and regular password changes.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for all user accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting on the password reset functionality to prevent brute-force attacks.
- Code Review: Conduct a thorough code review of the password reset functionality in
/model/user/resetPassword.phpto identify and fix any other potential vulnerabilities.
