CVE-2025-11401: Hotel Management System SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2025-11401 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Hotel and Lodge Management System version 1.0. The flaw exists in an unknown function within the file /pages/save_curr.php, where improper handling of the currcode argument allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely by authenticated attackers with low privileges, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying database.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this SQL injection flaw to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially compromise the entire hotel management system through malicious SQL queries targeting the currcode parameter.

Affected Products

• Nikhil-bhalerao Hotel And Lodge Management System version 1.0
• SourceCodester Hotel and Lodge Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-10-07 - CVE-2025-11401 published to NVD
• 2025-10-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11401

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) stems from inadequate input validation in the /pages/save_curr.php file of the Hotel and Lodge Management System. The currcode parameter is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterized query implementation. This allows attackers to craft malicious input that manipulates the underlying database operations.

The vulnerability is classified under both CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) and CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The attack can be executed remotely over the network with low complexity, requiring only low-privilege authentication. An exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data in the currcode parameter. The application fails to implement parameterized queries or prepared statements when processing this input, allowing SQL metacharacters to escape the intended query context and execute arbitrary SQL commands. This represents a classic injection flaw where untrusted data is concatenated directly into SQL statements without proper encoding or escaping.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-11401 is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can send specially crafted HTTP requests to the /pages/save_curr.php endpoint with a malicious currcode parameter value. The injected SQL payload is then executed by the database server with the application's database privileges.

Typical exploitation techniques may include:

• Union-based injection to extract data from other database tables
• Boolean-based blind injection to infer database contents
• Time-based blind injection for data exfiltration when other methods fail
• Stacked queries (if supported) to modify or delete data

For detailed technical analysis and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB Entry #327338.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11401

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP requests targeting /pages/save_curr.php containing SQL syntax in the currcode parameter
• Database error messages appearing in application logs or responses indicating SQL syntax errors
• Unexpected database queries containing UNION, SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or other SQL keywords in log files
• Anomalous database activity such as bulk data extraction or unauthorized table access

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in requests to /pages/save_curr.php
• Implement application-layer logging to capture all requests to the vulnerable endpoint with full parameter values
• Configure database audit logging to track unusual query patterns or access to sensitive tables
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /pages/save_curr.php with encoded or suspicious characters in the currcode parameter
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions that may indicate failed injection attempts
• Track authentication patterns for accounts attempting to access the vulnerable functionality
• Review database query logs for anomalous SELECT statements that may indicate data exfiltration

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11401

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or restrict access to the /pages/save_curr.php file until a patch is available
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to filter malicious input targeting the currcode parameter
• Review and limit database user privileges to minimize the impact of potential SQL injection attacks
• Enable detailed logging for the affected endpoint to detect exploitation attempts

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2025-10-09, no official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Organizations using the SourceCodester Hotel and Lodge Management System should monitor the SourceCodester website for security updates. In the absence of an official fix, implementing the workarounds below is strongly recommended.

For additional vulnerability tracking information, see the VulDB CTI Alert #327338.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation and sanitization for the currcode parameter at the application level
• Use parameterized queries or prepared statements if modifying the source code is feasible
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF to filter SQL injection attempts before they reach the application
• Consider isolating the application in a segmented network to limit potential lateral movement after compromise

# Example WAF rule to block SQL injection in currcode parameter
# ModSecurity rule for Apache/Nginx
SecRule ARGS:currcode "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in currcode parameter',\
    tag:'CVE-2025-11401'"