CVE-2025-11430: E-Commerce Bookstore SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-11430 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Simple E-Commerce Bookstore version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /cart.php file where the remove parameter is not properly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL statements. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, enabling unauthorized database access and manipulation.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the underlying system through the vulnerable e-commerce application.

Affected Products

• Janobe Simple E-Commerce Bookstore 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• October 8, 2025 - CVE-2025-11430 published to NVD
• October 9, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11430

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component). The vulnerable endpoint in /cart.php accepts user-supplied input through the remove parameter without adequate input validation or parameterized queries. When processing cart removal requests, the application directly incorporates user input into SQL queries, creating an injection point that attackers can exploit to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database.

The network-accessible nature of this web application vulnerability means that any unauthenticated remote attacker can craft malicious requests to exploit this flaw. The publicly disclosed nature of this vulnerability increases the risk of active exploitation in the wild.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation in the /cart.php file. The remove parameter is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or the use of prepared statements. This is a common vulnerability pattern in PHP applications that fail to implement secure database interaction practices, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query structure and inject their own SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-11430 is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft HTTP requests to the /cart.php endpoint with malicious SQL payloads in the remove parameter. The exploitation process typically involves:

1. Identifying the vulnerable parameter through reconnaissance
2. Crafting SQL injection payloads to probe the database structure
3. Extracting sensitive data such as user credentials, order information, or payment details
4. Potentially escalating the attack to modify data or execute system commands depending on database privileges

The vulnerability manifests when the remove parameter value is processed by the application. Attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject SQL commands that are then executed by the database server. For detailed technical analysis, see the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11430

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in application logs originating from /cart.php
• Abnormal database query patterns including UNION SELECT, information_schema queries, or time-based payloads
• Unexpected HTTP requests to /cart.php with special characters in the remove parameter
• Database audit logs showing unauthorized data access or extraction attempts

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the remove parameter
• Implement application-level logging to capture and alert on suspicious input patterns in cart operations
• Monitor database query logs for anomalous query structures or excessive data retrieval
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed access logging for the /cart.php endpoint to capture all request parameters
• Set up real-time alerting for SQL syntax errors or database exceptions in application logs
• Monitor outbound network traffic from the database server for potential data exfiltration
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized query execution patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11430

Immediate Actions Required

• Take the affected Simple E-Commerce Bookstore application offline if possible until remediation is complete
• Implement input validation and sanitization for the remove parameter in /cart.php
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection blocking rules as an interim protective measure
• Review database user privileges and restrict them to minimum required permissions
• Audit application logs and database logs for signs of prior exploitation

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability at the time of publication. Organizations using SourceCodester Simple E-Commerce Bookstore 1.0 should implement manual code fixes or consider migrating to a more secure e-commerce platform. Monitor the SourceCodester website for any future security updates.

Workarounds

• Modify the /cart.php source code to use prepared statements with parameterized queries for all database operations involving the remove parameter
• Implement strict input validation to ensure the remove parameter only accepts expected integer values
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF configured to filter SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable endpoint
• Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP ranges if public access is not required

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts on cart.php
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /cart.php" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,\
    chain"
SecRule ARGS:remove "@detectSQLi" \
    "msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in remove parameter'"