CVE-2025-11398: Hotel Management System RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-11398 Overview

CVE-2025-11398 is an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in SourceCodester Hotel and Lodge Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /profile.php script that handles the Profile Page component. An authenticated remote attacker can manipulate the image parameter to upload arbitrary files to the server. A public exploit has been disclosed, increasing exposure for vulnerable installations.

The weakness is classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). Attack complexity is low and the vector is network-based, but exploitation requires low-privilege authentication.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files through the profile image handler, potentially leading to webshell deployment and remote code execution on the hosting web server.

Affected Products

Nikhil-bhalerao Hotel and Lodge Management System 1.0
SourceCodester-distributed builds of the Hotel and Lodge Management System
Deployments using the vulnerable /profile.php Profile Page component

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-07 - CVE-2025-11398 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11398

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is rooted in the profile image upload routine inside /profile.php. The application accepts user-supplied files through the image argument without enforcing server-side validation of file type, extension, or content. Authenticated users can substitute the expected image file with a server-executable payload such as a PHP script.

Because the uploaded file is written to a web-accessible directory and retains its attacker-controlled extension, the server can subsequently execute the file when it is requested over HTTP. This converts a single upload primitive into a complete code execution chain on the underlying web host. The exploit details have been publicly released through GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB #327335.

The EPSS probability score is 0.38% with a percentile of 29.694, reflecting limited but non-zero exploitation likelihood given the public proof-of-concept.

Root Cause

The /profile.php handler performs insufficient input validation on uploaded files. The script does not verify MIME type, sanitize file extensions, or restrict content using a server-side allowlist. Improper access control on the upload destination compounds the issue by allowing direct execution of uploaded content.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the application with any valid low-privilege account, navigates to the profile page, and submits a crafted multipart request that sets the image field to a malicious file such as shell.php. The request can be issued remotely over HTTP without user interaction. Once stored, the file is fetched directly from its upload path to trigger execution.

No verified exploit code is included here. Refer to the VulDB CTI ID #327335 record and the GitHub Issue Discussion for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11398

Indicators of Compromise

Files with executable extensions such as .php, .phtml, or .phar written to profile image upload directories
HTTP POST requests to /profile.php containing multipart payloads where the image field references non-image MIME content
Outbound network connections originating from the web server process after a profile update event
New or modified files in user-writable web directories that do not match expected image signatures

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for POST requests to /profile.php followed by GET requests to newly created files within upload directories
Apply file-magic validation across upload paths to flag mismatches between declared content type and actual file header bytes
Alert on PHP interpreter execution spawned from directories intended to store static assets

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web server, PHP-FPM, and host process telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for correlation
Track baselines for file creation in profile image directories and trigger alerts on deviations
Monitor authenticated user accounts that initiate profile updates followed by unusual outbound traffic from the web host

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11398

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to /profile.php behind a web application firewall rule that blocks non-image content types on the image parameter
Revoke write or execute permissions on the upload directory until validation logic is hardened
Audit existing upload directories for unauthorized scripts and remove any files that do not match expected image formats
Rotate credentials for any low-privilege accounts that may have been used to test the public exploit

Patch Information

No vendor patch is referenced in the available advisories for Hotel and Lodge Management System 1.0. Operators should monitor the SourceCodester Security Resources page and the upstream project for fixes. Until an official update is released, apply the workarounds below and consider taking the application offline if it is internet-exposed.

Workarounds

Implement a server-side allowlist that accepts only image/jpeg, image/png, and image/gif content based on magic bytes, not the client-supplied MIME type
Rename uploaded files to a server-generated value and force a safe extension such as .jpg regardless of original input
Store uploads outside the web root and serve images through a controller that streams bytes rather than allowing direct execution
Disable PHP execution in upload directories using web server configuration directives

bash

# Apache configuration example to disable PHP execution in uploads
<Directory "/var/www/hotel/uploads">
    php_admin_flag engine off
    AddType text/plain .php .phtml .phar
    <FilesMatch "\.(php|phtml|phar)$">
        Require all denied
    </FilesMatch>
</Directory>