CVE-2025-11405: Hotel Management System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-11405 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Hotel and Lodge Management System version 1.0. This vulnerability affects the /del_tax.php file, where improper handling of the ID argument allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code. The attack can be initiated remotely by authenticated users, potentially compromising database integrity and exposing sensitive information.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion of records within the hotel management system.

Affected Products

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

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-10-07 - CVE-2025-11405 published to NVD
• 2025-10-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11405

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is a classic SQL injection flaw (CWE-89) that also falls under the broader category of injection attacks (CWE-74). The vulnerable endpoint /del_tax.php accepts an ID parameter that is used directly in SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. This allows attackers to craft malicious input that alters the intended SQL query structure.

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network and requires low-privilege authentication. When successfully exploited, an attacker can potentially read, modify, or delete data from the underlying database. The publicly available nature of this exploit increases the risk of widespread attacks against installations of this hotel management software.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the lack of parameterized queries in the /del_tax.php file. The ID argument is concatenated directly into SQL statements without sanitization, escaping, or the use of prepared statements. This allows user-controlled input to break out of the intended query context and execute arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An authenticated attacker can manipulate the ID parameter in HTTP requests to the /del_tax.php endpoint. By injecting SQL syntax into this parameter, the attacker can modify the database query's logic to perform unauthorized operations such as:

• Extracting sensitive guest information and booking records
• Modifying or deleting tax records and financial data
• Escalating privileges within the database
• Potentially gaining access to other database tables containing sensitive information

The vulnerability is particularly concerning in a hotel management context where the database likely contains personally identifiable information (PII) of guests, payment details, and business-critical reservation data.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11405

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database queries containing SQL injection patterns targeting the /del_tax.php endpoint
• HTTP requests with suspicious ID parameter values containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or UNION statements
• Database error messages in application logs indicating malformed SQL queries
• Unexpected data modifications or deletions in tax-related database tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in requests to /del_tax.php
• Monitor application logs for database errors related to the tax deletion functionality
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns
• Conduct regular database audits to identify unauthorized data access or modifications

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all database queries executed by the application
• Set up real-time alerts for requests containing SQL injection payload signatures
• Monitor for abnormal patterns in HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoint
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized SELECT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11405

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /del_tax.php endpoint to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement input validation on the ID parameter to accept only numeric values
• Consider temporarily disabling the tax deletion functionality until a proper fix is implemented
• Review database permissions to ensure the application uses a least-privilege database account

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Users should check the SourceCodester website for any security updates. Additional technical details about this vulnerability can be found in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB entry #327342.

Workarounds

• Implement server-side input validation to ensure the ID parameter only accepts integer values
• Modify the application code to use prepared statements or parameterized queries for all database operations
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• Restrict network access to the application using firewall rules or VPN requirements

# Configuration example - Apache mod_security rule to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:ID "!@rx ^[0-9]+$" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in ID parameter'"