CVE-2019-25500: Simple Job Script SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25500 Overview

Simple Job Script contains an SQL injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting SQL code through the employerid parameter. Attackers can send POST requests to the register-recruiters endpoint with time-based SQL injection payloads to extract sensitive data or modify database contents.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive database information, modify or delete records, and potentially compromise the entire database backend without requiring any authentication.

Affected Products

• Simple Job Script (all versions with the vulnerable register-recruiters endpoint)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-04 - CVE CVE-2019-25500 published to NVD
• 2026-03-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25500

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), commonly known as SQL Injection. The flaw exists in the Simple Job Script application's register-recruiters endpoint, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the employerid parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication to exploit. An attacker can craft malicious POST requests containing SQL injection payloads that are directly processed by the database engine. The time-based blind SQL injection technique allows attackers to extract data character by character by observing response time differences, even when error messages are suppressed.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and the lack of parameterized queries or prepared statements in the application's database interaction layer. The employerid parameter value is concatenated directly into SQL query strings without proper escaping or sanitization, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based, requiring no user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker sends specially crafted POST requests to the /register-recruiters endpoint, embedding SQL injection payloads within the employerid parameter. Time-based blind SQL injection techniques are particularly effective, where the attacker uses conditional SLEEP() or equivalent database functions to infer data based on response delays.

For example, an attacker might send payloads that cause the database to delay responses when certain conditions are true, allowing them to extract usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information one character at a time. The vulnerability details and proof-of-concept information can be found in the Exploit-DB #46612 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory on SQL Injection.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25500

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual POST requests to the /register-recruiters endpoint containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, UNION, SELECT, or SLEEP keywords
• Database query logs showing malformed or suspicious queries originating from the registration functionality
• Anomalous response time patterns indicating time-based blind SQL injection attempts
• Unauthorized database access or unexplained data modifications in job posting or recruiter tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns in POST request parameters
• Monitor application logs for repeated failed registration attempts or requests with unusual employerid values
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Use intrusion detection systems configured with SQL injection signature rules

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the web server for all requests to the /register-recruiters endpoint
• Configure database audit logging to capture all queries executed against user and recruiter tables
• Set up alerting for requests containing known SQL injection keywords or patterns
• Monitor for unusually long database query execution times that may indicate time-based injection attacks

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25500

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and patch the application code to implement parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions involving user input
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules in front of the vulnerable application
• Consider temporarily disabling the /register-recruiters endpoint until a proper fix is implemented
• Audit database logs for any signs of prior exploitation and check for unauthorized data access or modifications

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is currently available. Organizations using Simple Job Script should consult the VulnCheck Advisory on SQL Injection for the latest remediation guidance. If the application is no longer maintained, consider migrating to an actively supported job portal solution.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation to reject any employerid parameter values containing SQL metacharacters or keywords
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF with strict SQL injection filtering rules
• Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP ranges where possible
• Use database accounts with minimal required privileges to limit the impact of successful exploitation

# Example WAF rule configuration (ModSecurity)
SecRule ARGS:employerid "@rx (?i)(union|select|insert|update|delete|drop|sleep|benchmark|waitfor)" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in employerid parameter'"