CVE-2025-12263: Online Event Judging System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2025-12263 Overview

CVE-2025-12263 is a SQL injection vulnerability in code-projects Online Event Judging System 1.0, developed by Carmelo. The flaw exists in the /edit_judge.php script, where the judge_id parameter is passed to a database query without proper sanitization. Authenticated attackers can manipulate this parameter remotely to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-89] (SQL Injection) and [CWE-74] (Injection). Public disclosure indicates that an exploit description is available, though no weaponized proof-of-concept is currently catalogued in Exploit-DB or the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list.

Critical Impact
Remote authenticated attackers can read, modify, or delete database records through SQL injection in the judge_id parameter of /edit_judge.php.

Affected Products

Carmelo Online Event Judging System 1.0
Vulnerable component: /edit_judge.php
Vulnerable parameter: judge_id

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-27 - CVE-2025-12263 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-12263

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the edit_judge.php script of the Online Event Judging System. The application accepts the judge_id argument from HTTP requests and concatenates it directly into a SQL query. Because the parameter is not validated, escaped, or bound through a prepared statement, attackers can break out of the intended query context and append arbitrary SQL syntax. Exploitation requires low-privilege authenticated access over the network, with no user interaction. Successful injection yields limited confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on the backend database.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command, mapped to [CWE-89]. The judge_id value is interpolated into a query string instead of being passed as a bound parameter. PHP code paths that rely on string concatenation with mysqli_query or mysql_query calls inherit any malicious payload supplied by the client. No allow-list validation enforces that judge_id must be a numeric identifier.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the Online Event Judging System with any valid account, then sends a crafted request to /edit_judge.php with a manipulated judge_id parameter. Payloads using UNION SELECT, boolean-based blind techniques, or time-based extraction can enumerate database schema, exfiltrate judge and participant records, or tamper with scoring data. The attack is fully remote and does not require user interaction. Refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Tracker and VulDB entry #329934 for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-12263

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /edit_judge.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', ", --, ;, UNION, or SLEEP( in the judge_id parameter.
Web server access logs showing non-numeric values supplied to judge_id from a single source IP at high frequency.
Database error messages referencing mysqli or syntax errors logged shortly after requests to edit_judge.php.
Unexpected modifications to judge records or score tables originating from web application database accounts.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall signatures that flag SQL injection payloads targeting the judge_id parameter.
Enable verbose query logging on the backend MySQL or MariaDB server to capture anomalous statements emitted from the application user.
Correlate authentication events with subsequent edits to /edit_judge.php to detect low-privilege accounts performing reconnaissance.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web access logs and database audit logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation.
Alert on outbound data transfer spikes from the application server that could indicate database exfiltration.
Baseline the typical request patterns to /edit_judge.php and alert on deviations in parameter length, character set, or response size.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-12263

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the Online Event Judging System to trusted networks until a vendor fix is verified.
Audit edit_judge.php and surrounding scripts for additional injection sinks that reuse the same query patterns.
Rotate database credentials used by the application and ensure the account holds only the minimum required privileges.
Review database contents for unauthorized modifications to judge, score, or user tables.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch advisory has been published at the time of NVD entry. Monitor the Code Projects Security Hub and the GitHub CVE Issue Tracker for updates. Until a fix is released, apply the workarounds below.

Workarounds

Replace the vulnerable query in edit_judge.php with a parameterized statement using mysqli_prepare and bind_param, casting judge_id to an integer before binding.
Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks requests where judge_id contains any character outside the [0-9] range.
Enforce input validation in PHP using filter_input(INPUT_GET, 'judge_id', FILTER_VALIDATE_INT) and reject requests that fail validation.
Limit the database user assigned to the application to SELECT, INSERT, and UPDATE privileges on required tables only, removing DROP and schema-modifying rights.

bash

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking non-numeric judge_id values
SecRule ARGS:judge_id "!@rx ^[0-9]+$" \
    "id:1012263,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,\
    msg:'CVE-2025-12263 - Non-numeric judge_id blocked'"