CVE-2025-10115: SiempreCMS SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-10115 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SiempreCMS versions up to 1.3.6. The vulnerability exists in the file user_search_ajax.php where improper handling of the name and userName parameters allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially escalate access within the affected SiempreCMS installation.

Affected Products

• SiempreCMS up to version 1.3.6
• Affected file: user_search_ajax.php

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-09 - CVE-2025-10115 published to NVD
• 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-10115

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) affects the user_search_ajax.php file in SiempreCMS. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to inject arbitrary SQL code through the name or userName parameters. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation in the wild.

The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no user interaction or special privileges to exploit, making it a significant concern for any internet-facing SiempreCMS installation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and improper neutralization of user-supplied data in the user_search_ajax.php file. The application fails to properly sanitize or parameterize the name and userName parameters before incorporating them into SQL queries, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context and execute arbitrary SQL statements.

Attack Vector

The attack can be initiated remotely over the network. An attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request to the user_search_ajax.php endpoint with specially crafted values in the name or userName parameters. The malicious payload is then incorporated directly into SQL queries executed by the application, enabling the attacker to read, modify, or delete database contents.

The vulnerability is accessible without authentication, which significantly increases the attack surface. Attackers can leverage standard SQL injection techniques including UNION-based attacks, blind SQL injection, or time-based injection to extract data or manipulate the database.

A proof-of-concept has been publicly disclosed via the GitHub SQLi PoC Repository. Security teams should review this repository for detailed exploitation techniques and indicators of compromise.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10115

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests targeting /user_search_ajax.php with suspicious characters in parameters
• SQL error messages appearing in web server logs or responses
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION, SELECT, or other SQL keywords in the name or userName fields
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in requests to user_search_ajax.php
• Monitor web server access logs for requests containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Configure IDS/IPS signatures to alert on known SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the web server for all requests to PHP files
• Monitor database query logs for queries originating from the web application user that contain suspicious patterns
• Set up alerting for error conditions in the database that may indicate injection attempts
• Review authentication and access logs for any signs of unauthorized database access following successful injection

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10115

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to user_search_ajax.php if the functionality is not required
• Implement WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the affected endpoint
• Monitor for signs of exploitation in existing logs
• Consider taking the affected SiempreCMS installation offline until a patch is applied

Patch Information

At the time of publication, vendor patch information is not available in the CVE data. Organizations running SiempreCMS should monitor the official SiempreCMS channels and the VulDB entry #323084 for updates regarding official patches or security advisories.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the application level to reject requests containing SQL metacharacters
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules
• Restrict network access to the SiempreCMS administration interface to trusted IP addresses only
• If possible, modify the user_search_ajax.php file to use parameterized queries or prepared statements

As a defensive measure, ensure that all user input is properly sanitized before being used in database queries. Consider implementing prepared statements with parameterized queries in the vulnerable file to properly escape user input:

# Recommended mitigation approach
# Replace direct query construction with prepared statements
# Example: Use PDO or MySQLi prepared statements instead of concatenating user input

# Before: Vulnerable pattern
# $query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = '" . $_POST['name'] . "'";

# After: Secure pattern using prepared statements
# $stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = ?");
# $stmt->execute([$_POST['name']]);