Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-13241: Critical SQL Injection Vulnerability Threatens Student Information System 2.0

Overview

A high-severity SQL injection vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-13241, has been discovered in code-projects Student Information System 2.0. This flaw allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL queries by manipulating the Username argument in the /index.php file. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Technical Details

The vulnerability lies in the insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input in the Username parameter of the /index.php file. An attacker can inject malicious SQL code into this parameter, which is then executed directly against the database. This can allow the attacker to bypass authentication, retrieve sensitive data (including student records, credentials, and financial information), modify data, or even potentially execute arbitrary commands on the database server. Exploit code has been published, indicating the ease of exploitation.

Affected File: /index.php

Affected Parameter: Username

Example attack scenario (Illustrative and may require adaptation):

            
            /index.php?Username=' OR '1'='1
            
        

CVSS Analysis

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) provides a standardized way to assess the severity of vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-13241 has been assigned the following score:

CVSS Score: 7.3 (HIGH)

This score reflects the remote exploitability and potential impact of the vulnerability. A CVSS score of 7.3 indicates a high level of concern and necessitates immediate action.

Possible Impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-13241 can have severe consequences:

  • Data Breach: Exposure of sensitive student data, including personal information, grades, and financial records.
  • Account Takeover: Unauthorized access to administrator accounts, allowing attackers to modify system settings and control user accounts.
  • Data Manipulation: Modification or deletion of critical data, leading to data corruption and system instability.
  • System Compromise: Potential for complete system compromise, leading to denial of service, malware installation, or further attacks on other systems.
  • Reputational Damage: Significant damage to the reputation of the educational institution or organization utilizing the vulnerable software.

Mitigation and Patch Steps

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2025-13241, the following steps should be taken immediately:

  1. Apply the Patch: Check the code-projects.org website for any available security patches or updates for Student Information System 2.0. Apply the patch as soon as possible.
  2. Input Sanitization: Implement robust input sanitization and validation techniques to prevent SQL injection attacks. All user-supplied input should be properly escaped before being used in SQL queries. Consider using prepared statements or parameterized queries.
  3. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts. Configure the WAF to use up-to-date rulesets to protect against known SQL injection vulnerabilities.
  4. Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the database user account used by the application has only the necessary permissions to perform its functions. Avoid granting the application database user unnecessary privileges.
  5. Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the application.
  6. Monitor Logs: Enable detailed logging and monitor application logs for suspicious activity, such as SQL injection attempts.

References

Cybersecurity specialist and founder of Gowri Shankar Infosec - a professional blog dedicated to sharing actionable insights on cybersecurity, data protection, server administration, and compliance frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *