CVE-2025-11342: Online Course Registration SQL Injection

CVE-2025-11342 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Online Course Registration 1.0. This vulnerability impacts the /admin/edit-course.php file, where manipulation of the coursecode argument enables attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database. The attack can be executed remotely, and exploit details have been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows attackers to read, modify, or delete database contents, potentially compromising sensitive student and course information, and could lead to complete database takeover.

Affected Products

• Fabian Online Course Registration Site 1.0
• code-projects Online Course Registration 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• October 6, 2025 - CVE-2025-11342 published to NVD
• October 14, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11342

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the administrative course editing functionality of the Online Course Registration application. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-74). The coursecode parameter in /admin/edit-course.php is passed directly to database queries without proper sanitization or parameterization, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL statements.

The vulnerability requires network access and high-level privileges (administrative access) to exploit, which somewhat limits the attack surface. However, once an attacker gains admin credentials through other means (such as credential stuffing or social engineering), they can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive data, modify course records, or escalate their database privileges.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and parameterized queries in the /admin/edit-course.php file. The application directly incorporates user-supplied input from the coursecode parameter into SQL queries without sanitization, escaping, or use of prepared statements. This classic injection flaw allows attackers to break out of the intended SQL context and execute arbitrary database commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and targets the administrative interface of the application. An authenticated attacker with administrative privileges can manipulate the coursecode parameter when editing course information. By injecting SQL metacharacters and statements into this parameter, the attacker can alter the query logic to extract data, bypass authentication for other users, modify records, or potentially execute database administrative commands depending on the database configuration and privileges.

The vulnerability requires high privileges to access the affected endpoint, but once accessed, exploitation is straightforward with no user interaction required. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, making it accessible to threat actors. Technical details and proof-of-concept information can be found in the GitHub CVE Issue Tracker and VulDB #327227.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11342

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to /admin/edit-course.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or UNION statements
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors or injection attempts
• Unexpected database queries or access patterns in database audit logs
• Anomalous data modifications in course-related database tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the coursecode parameter
• Enable detailed logging for the /admin/edit-course.php endpoint and monitor for suspicious parameter values
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized or anomalous SQL queries
• Configure intrusion detection systems to alert on SQL injection signatures targeting this application

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor authentication logs for the administrative interface for unusual access patterns or credential abuse
• Set up alerts for multiple failed or anomalous requests to course editing endpoints
• Review database logs regularly for signs of data exfiltration or unauthorized modifications
• Implement real-time alerting for any SQL error messages generated by the application

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11342

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the administrative interface (/admin/) to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to block SQL injection attempts
• Review and audit administrative user accounts for unauthorized access
• Consider taking the application offline until patching is complete if it contains sensitive data

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been identified in the available references. Organizations using this application should contact the vendor at Code Projects for patch availability. Given the nature of this vulnerability in an open-source project, consider reviewing the source code and implementing fixes directly. Monitor VulDB Submission #664823 for updates on remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements and parameterized queries in the /admin/edit-course.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Apply strict input validation to the coursecode parameter, allowing only expected alphanumeric characters
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) in front of the application to filter malicious requests
• Restrict administrative access to the application through network segmentation or VPN-only access

# Example: Restrict admin access via Apache .htaccess
<Directory /var/www/html/admin>
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
</Directory>