CVE-2025-13256: Advanced Library Management SQL Injection

CVE-2025-13256 Overview

CVE-2025-13256 is a SQL injection vulnerability in Projectworlds Advanced Library Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /borrow.php endpoint, where the roll_number parameter is passed to backend SQL queries without proper sanitization. Attackers can exploit this remotely with low-privileged authenticated access. A public exploit is referenced in the VulDB submission, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic attacks against exposed instances. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-89] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command) and [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can manipulate the roll_number parameter in /borrow.php to inject arbitrary SQL, exposing or modifying records in the library database.

Affected Products

Projectworlds Advanced Library Management System 1.0
Deployments using the unpatched /borrow.php borrow workflow
Any installation accessible over the network without input filtering

Discovery Timeline

2025-11-17 - CVE-2025-13256 published to NVD
2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13256

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in /borrow.php, a script that handles book borrow operations in the Advanced Library Management System. The roll_number parameter is concatenated directly into a SQL query without parameterized statements or input escaping. An authenticated attacker can supply crafted SQL syntax through this parameter and alter the structure of the executed query.

Successful exploitation lets attackers read arbitrary tables, including borrower records, book inventories, and any administrative credentials stored in the database. Depending on backend privileges, the injection can also support UNION-based extraction, boolean-based blind injection, or time-based blind injection. The attack requires only network reachability to the application and a valid low-privilege session.

The public exploit details published via the VulDB submission and the GitHub report lower the technical barrier for reproduction. Because the application targets educational environments often deployed with default configurations, exposed instances face elevated risk of automated scanning.

Root Cause

The root cause is unsafe SQL query construction in the borrow workflow. The roll_number value sent in the HTTP request is interpolated into the SQL statement without prepared statements, parameter binding, or type validation. This violates secure coding practice for database access in PHP applications.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires low privileges. An attacker authenticates to the application, then issues a request to /borrow.php with a malicious roll_number payload. Common payloads include ' OR 1=1-- for boolean injection or UNION SELECT clauses for data extraction. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own session.

The vulnerability mechanism is documented in the GitHub CVE Report and VulDB #332591. Refer to these references for the exact request structure and payload examples.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13256

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /borrow.php containing SQL meta-characters such as ', --, UNION, SELECT, or SLEEP( in the roll_number parameter.
Database error messages returned in HTTP responses referencing MySQL syntax errors tied to borrow operations.
Unexpected outbound queries or long response times on the borrow endpoint indicating time-based blind injection.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for anomalous roll_number values that contain encoded SQL syntax or unusually long parameter strings.
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) signature targeting SQL injection patterns on the /borrow.php URI.
Correlate authentication events with sudden bursts of requests to /borrow.php from a single session to flag automated probing.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable MySQL general query logging during incident response to identify malformed queries originating from the borrow workflow.
Alert on database service accounts executing queries that touch system tables such as information_schema from the application context.
Monitor egress connections from the application server for data exfiltration following suspicious borrow requests.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13256

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network exposure of the Advanced Library Management System to trusted networks or place it behind a VPN until a vendor fix is available.
Apply WAF rules that block SQL injection payloads targeting the roll_number parameter on /borrow.php.
Audit user accounts and rotate database credentials if exploitation indicators are present.

Patch Information

Projectworlds has not published a vendor advisory or patch in the references available at disclosure. Refer to VulDB CTI ID #332591 and the GitHub CVE Report for ongoing tracking. Organizations should modify borrow.php to use prepared statements with bound parameters and validate that roll_number contains only expected characters such as digits.

Workarounds

Replace direct query construction in /borrow.php with PDO or mysqli prepared statements that bind roll_number as an integer.
Enforce server-side input validation that rejects any roll_number value containing non-numeric characters.
Apply least-privilege configuration to the database user, removing access to tables and schemas not required by the application.

bash

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking SQLi patterns on borrow.php
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@beginsWith /borrow.php" \
  "chain,deny,status:403,id:1013256,msg:'Possible SQLi in roll_number'"
SecRule ARGS:roll_number "@rx (?i)(union|select|sleep\(|--|';)" "t:none"