CVE-2025-13169: Simple Hotel Reservation System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2025-13169 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Simple Online Hotel Reservation System version 1.0. This vulnerability affects the /add_query_reserve.php file, where improper handling of the room_id parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands. The attack can be executed remotely without authentication, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability remotely to extract sensitive guest information, modify reservation data, or disrupt hotel operations through database manipulation.

Affected Products

• Fabian Simple Online Hotel Reservation System 1.0
• code-projects Simple Online Hotel Reservation System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-11-14 - CVE-2025-13169 published to NVD
• 2025-11-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13169

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic SQL injection flaw in a PHP-based hotel reservation application. The /add_query_reserve.php endpoint accepts user-supplied input through the room_id parameter without proper sanitization or parameterized queries. When processing reservation requests, the application directly concatenates user input into SQL queries, creating an injection point that attackers can exploit.

The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), which encompasses injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is inserted into commands or queries. In this case, malicious SQL statements can be injected through the room_id parameter, allowing attackers to manipulate database queries and potentially access unauthorized data.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and the absence of parameterized queries in the application's database interaction layer. The room_id parameter is expected to contain a numeric identifier but accepts arbitrary string input that is directly interpolated into SQL statements. Without proper escaping, type checking, or prepared statements, the application becomes susceptible to SQL injection attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /add_query_reserve.php endpoint with specially crafted room_id values containing SQL payloads. These payloads can include UNION-based attacks to extract data from other tables, time-based blind injection to enumerate database contents, or stacked queries to modify or delete data.

The vulnerability can be exploited by sending a malformed room_id parameter value to the affected endpoint. When the application constructs its SQL query using this unsanitized input, the injected SQL code becomes part of the executed query. Attackers can leverage this to bypass authentication, extract sensitive guest information including personal details and payment data, modify reservation records, or potentially gain further access to the underlying server depending on database permissions. For technical details on exploitation, refer to the GitHub CVE Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13169

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in web server logs originating from /add_query_reserve.php
• HTTP requests to /add_query_reserve.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1, or comment sequences like -- in the room_id parameter
• Database query logs showing unexpected or malformed queries with suspicious string patterns
• Anomalous data access patterns or bulk data extraction from reservation-related tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP parameters targeting the /add_query_reserve.php endpoint
• Enable detailed logging for the web application and database to capture parameter values and query execution patterns
• Deploy intrusion detection signatures for common SQL injection payloads and encoding techniques
• Conduct regular security scans using automated tools to identify SQL injection vulnerabilities in the application

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests containing encoded characters or SQL syntax in query parameters
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Track unusual spikes in database query volume or response times that could suggest data exfiltration
• Review authentication and access logs for signs of privilege escalation following injection attacks

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13169

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to /add_query_reserve.php through network segmentation or firewall rules until a patch is applied
• Implement input validation to ensure room_id only accepts numeric values
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection enabled for the affected application
• Review and audit database user permissions to enforce the principle of least privilege

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no official patch has been released by the vendor for this vulnerability. Organizations using Simple Online Hotel Reservation System 1.0 should monitor the Code Projects Resource Hub for security updates. Additional vulnerability details are available through VulDB #332457.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements with parameterized queries for all database interactions involving user input
• Add server-side input validation to reject non-numeric values for the room_id parameter
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF to filter malicious requests before they reach the application
• Consider taking the affected functionality offline until proper security controls can be implemented

# Example: Apache mod_rewrite rule to block suspicious requests
# Add to .htaccess or virtual host configuration
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (union|select|insert|delete|drop|update|concat|char|benchmark|sleep) [NC]
RewriteRule ^add_query_reserve\.php$ - [F,L]