CVE-2025-13285: Online Voting System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-13285 Overview

A SQL Injection vulnerability has been identified in itsourcecode Online Voting System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /login.php file where the Username argument is not properly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL commands. This flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the voting system database.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to bypass authentication, extract sensitive voter data, modify election results, or compromise the entire voting system database.

Affected Products

• itsourcecode Online Voting System 1.0
• angeljudesuarez online_voting_system 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-11-17 - CVE-2025-13285 published to NVD
• 2025-11-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13285

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability affects the login functionality of the Online Voting System application. The /login.php endpoint fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the Username parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This classic SQL injection flaw allows attackers to manipulate database queries by inserting malicious SQL code through the login form.

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). The exploit has been publicly documented and technical details are available through the GitHub Issue Discussion.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and parameterized queries in the authentication mechanism. The Username parameter is directly concatenated into SQL queries without sanitization, escaping, or the use of prepared statements. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL syntax that gets executed by the database engine.

Attack Vector

The attack can be performed remotely over the network without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP POST request to the /login.php endpoint containing SQL injection payloads in the Username field. Successful exploitation could allow:

• Authentication bypass to gain unauthorized access
• Extraction of sensitive data including voter information and credentials
• Modification of database records including election results
• Potential for further system compromise depending on database privileges

The vulnerability mechanism involves inserting SQL metacharacters and commands through the login form's username field. When the application processes this input without proper sanitization, the injected SQL is executed against the backend database. For detailed technical analysis, refer to the VulDB entry #332625.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13285

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL syntax patterns in web application logs, particularly in requests to /login.php
• Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful authentication without valid credentials
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, or other SQL injection patterns
• Anomalous database access patterns or bulk data extraction from user tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests
• Monitor application logs for requests containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, double dashes, and UNION keywords
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect unusual query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Configure intrusion detection systems with SQL injection signature rules targeting the /login.php endpoint

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the /login.php endpoint and review logs regularly for suspicious input patterns
• Set up alerts for authentication anomalies such as impossible travel or unusual login success rates
• Monitor database query execution times for anomalies that may indicate time-based blind SQL injection attempts
• Implement security information and event management (SIEM) correlation rules for SQL injection attack patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13285

Immediate Actions Required

• Take the affected Online Voting System offline if it is exposed to untrusted networks until remediation is complete
• Implement input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, especially the Username field
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
• Review database access logs for evidence of prior exploitation and assess potential data compromise

Patch Information

As of the last update on 2025-11-19, no official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Organizations using this application should contact itsourcecode for remediation guidance or consider implementing the workarounds described below. Monitor the ItSourceCode website for security updates.

Workarounds

• Replace dynamic SQL queries with parameterized queries or prepared statements in the /login.php file
• Implement strict input validation that rejects SQL metacharacters in the username field
• Apply the principle of least privilege to database accounts used by the application to limit potential damage
• Consider placing the application behind a reverse proxy with SQL injection filtering capabilities
• If possible, replace the vulnerable authentication module with a secure alternative that uses prepared statements

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:Username "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in Username parameter'"