CVE-2025-12242: Gym Management System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-12242 Overview

CVE-2025-12242 is a SQL injection vulnerability in CodeAstro Gym Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /admin/actions/check-attendance.php script, where the ID parameter is incorporated into a database query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers with low-privileged authenticated access can manipulate this parameter to alter SQL statements executed by the application. The issue has been publicly disclosed, and exploit details are available through third-party vulnerability databases. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can inject arbitrary SQL into the check-attendance.php endpoint, exposing or modifying administrative data within the Gym Management System database.

Affected Products

• CodeAstro Gym Management System 1.0
• Component: /admin/actions/check-attendance.php
• CPE: cpe:2.3:a:codeastro:gym_management_system:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-10-27 - CVE-2025-12242 published to NVD
• 2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-12242

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the administrative attendance check workflow of CodeAstro Gym Management System 1.0. The check-attendance.php script accepts an ID parameter that is concatenated directly into a SQL query string. Because the application does not apply parameterized queries or input sanitization, attacker-controlled SQL syntax is interpreted by the backend database.

The attack is launched remotely over HTTP and requires low privileges (an authenticated administrative session). Successful exploitation can produce low-impact loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability against the database. Public disclosure through VulDB and GitHub increases the likelihood of opportunistic abuse.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in a downstream SQL component [CWE-74]. The ID argument is interpolated into a query without prepared statements, type casting, or input validation, allowing meta-characters such as single quotes, comments, and UNION clauses to terminate the intended query and append attacker logic.

Attack Vector

An authenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to /admin/actions/check-attendance.php with a malicious ID value. Typical payloads include boolean-based, time-based, or UNION-based SQL injection patterns that read records from arbitrary tables, including credential and member data. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own session.

The vulnerability mechanism is documented in the public GitHub CVE Issue #54 and VulDB entry #329913. No verified proof-of-concept code is included here.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-12242

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to /admin/actions/check-attendance.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION, SLEEP(, or OR 1=1 in the ID parameter.
• Unexpected database errors or extended query response times originating from the attendance module.
• Web server access logs showing repeated requests to the attendance endpoint from a single source IP with varying ID values.

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that inspect the ID parameter on /admin/actions/check-attendance.php for SQL injection signatures.
• Enable database query logging and alert on anomalous query structures from the gym management application user.
• Correlate authentication events with administrative endpoint access to identify session abuse following credential compromise.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor for outbound data transfers from the database server that exceed normal volumes for administrative actions.
• Track failed and successful logins to the /admin/ interface and alert on brute-force or credential-stuffing patterns.
• Review PHP error logs for SQL syntax errors referencing the attendance check query.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-12242

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the /admin/ interface using IP allowlisting or VPN-only access until a fix is applied.
• Rotate administrative credentials and audit existing administrative accounts for unauthorized access.
• Apply WAF signatures that block SQL injection patterns targeting the ID parameter.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been published at the time of writing. Refer to the CodeAstro vendor site for updates. Organizations using Gym Management System 1.0 should track the VulDB advisory for remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Modify check-attendance.php to use parameterized queries or PDO prepared statements for the ID argument.
• Enforce strict input validation on ID, restricting it to integer values before query construction.
• Apply the principle of least privilege to the database account used by the application, removing unnecessary INFORMATION_SCHEMA or write permissions.
• Consider taking the affected administrative module offline until a vendor-supplied fix is verified.

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) to block SQLi patterns on the affected endpoint
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@beginsWith /admin/actions/check-attendance.php" \
  "id:1012242,phase:2,deny,status:403,\
   chain,msg:'CVE-2025-12242 SQLi attempt'"
  SecRule ARGS:ID "@rx (?i)(union(\s)+select|sleep\(|or\s+1=1|--|';)" \
    "t:none,t:urlDecode"