CVE-2025-10420 Overview
CVE-2025-10420 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Student Grading System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /form137.php script, where the ID parameter is concatenated into a SQL query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements against the backend database. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires only low-privilege access. Public exploit details have been disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic abuse against exposed installations. The issue is tracked under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).
Critical Impact
Remote attackers with low-privilege access can manipulate the ID parameter in /form137.php to execute arbitrary SQL queries, exposing stored student grading data.
Affected Products
- Oretnom23 (SourceCodester) Student Grading System 1.0
- Deployments using the unmodified /form137.php script
- CPE: cpe:2.3:a:oretnom23:student_grading_system:1.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-15 - CVE-2025-10420 published to NVD
- 2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-10420
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in /form137.php, a script that retrieves student record data based on an ID parameter supplied through an HTTP request. The application interpolates the user-controlled ID value directly into a SQL query string without parameterization or input validation. Attackers can append SQL syntax to the parameter, altering the query logic executed by the database engine.
Successful exploitation enables unauthorized read or modification of records stored in the underlying database. Because the attack is remote and requires only low-privilege authentication, any authenticated user of the application can trigger it. Public proof-of-concept information has been released through VulDB entry #323854 and a GitHub CVE Issue Discussion.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in a SQL query [CWE-74]. The form137.php handler concatenates the ID request parameter into a dynamic SQL statement without using prepared statements or escaping functions such as mysqli_real_escape_string. Any character with SQL meaning, including single quotes and UNION keywords, is passed directly to the database driver.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to /form137.php with a malicious ID value, for example appending boolean conditions or UNION SELECT clauses. The injected SQL is executed by the database, allowing extraction of grading records, user credentials, or other tables accessible to the application database user. The exploit can be initiated from any networked host with reachability to the affected web server. No code example is reproduced here; refer to the public references for technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10420
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to /form137.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION, SELECT, or SLEEP( in the ID parameter
- Web server logs showing unusually long or URL-encoded ID values targeting form137.php
- Database error messages referencing syntax errors originating from form137.php execution context
- Unexpected outbound queries or table enumeration patterns from the application database account
Detection Strategies
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) signatures that flag SQL injection payloads against query parameters on PHP endpoints
- Enable database query logging and alert on parameterized queries that contain tautologies such as OR 1=1
- Correlate HTTP access logs with database audit logs to detect anomalous query volumes tied to /form137.php
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor authenticated session activity for repeated access to /form137.php with varying ID values
- Alert on spikes in database error responses returned to web clients
- Track outbound data volume from the database tier to detect bulk extraction attempts
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10420
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to the Student Grading System to trusted networks until a fix is deployed
- Disable or block requests to /form137.php at the reverse proxy or WAF layer if the feature is non-essential
- Rotate database credentials and audit grading data for unauthorized modifications
- Review web server access logs for prior exploitation attempts referencing form137.php
Patch Information
No official vendor advisory or patch from SourceCodester (Oretnom23) is referenced in the available CVE data. Administrators should consult the VulDB entry and the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion for remediation progress. Until a vendor patch is available, apply source-level mitigations by replacing concatenated SQL with prepared statements using PDO or mysqli bound parameters.
Workarounds
- Refactor /form137.php to use parameterized queries and cast the ID value to an integer with intval() before query construction
- Apply input validation that rejects any non-numeric ID value before reaching database logic
- Configure the database account used by the application with read-only privileges where feasible to limit injection impact
- Place the application behind a WAF with active SQL injection rule sets to filter malicious payloads
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
