CVE-2025-13301: Internet Laboratory Management SQLi Flaw

CVE-2025-13301 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in itsourcecode Web-Based Internet Laboratory Management System version 1.0. This vulnerability exists in the /subject/controller.php file, where improper input validation allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying database.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the application's backend systems.

Affected Products

• itsourcecode Web-Based Internet Laboratory Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-11-17 - CVE-2025-13301 published to NVD
• 2025-11-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13301

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability affects the /subject/controller.php file in the Web-Based Internet Laboratory Management System. 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 attack can be launched remotely over the network with no authentication required, and no user interaction is needed to exploit the flaw. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of opportunistic attacks against vulnerable installations.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization in the controller.php file within the subject module. User-supplied input is passed directly to SQL queries without proper parameterization or escaping, allowing attackers to manipulate query logic through specially crafted input values.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable via network-based attacks targeting the /subject/controller.php endpoint. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads that bypass input validation and execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database.

The attack does not require any prior authentication or special privileges, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible installations. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to:

• Extract sensitive user credentials and application data
• Modify or delete database records
• Bypass authentication mechanisms
• Potentially escalate to remote code execution depending on database configuration

Technical details and proof-of-concept information can be found in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and the VulDB #332641 advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13301

Indicators of Compromise

• Anomalous HTTP requests to /subject/controller.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, UNION statements, or comment sequences
• Database error messages appearing in application logs or HTTP responses
• Unexpected database queries in database audit logs, particularly those with UNION SELECT or time-based payloads
• Unusual data extraction patterns or bulk data access from the database

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns targeting the /subject/controller.php endpoint
• Enable database query logging and monitor for suspicious query patterns including UNION-based, error-based, or time-based injection techniques
• Configure intrusion detection systems to alert on HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads
• Review web server access logs for requests with encoded SQL characters or unusually long parameter values

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor HTTP traffic to the vulnerable endpoint for malicious payloads using SIEM solutions
• Enable database audit logging to track all queries executed against the application database
• Set up alerts for multiple failed authentication attempts following SQL injection indicators
• Implement application-level logging to capture and analyze input validation failures

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13301

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /subject/controller.php endpoint using network-level controls or authentication requirements
• Deploy Web Application Firewall rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable endpoint
• Consider taking the affected application offline until a patch is available if it processes sensitive data
• Review database permissions to ensure the application uses a least-privilege database account

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability at the time of publication. Organizations should monitor the IT Source Code website for security updates and contact the vendor directly for remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements or parameterized queries in the controller.php file if source code access is available
• Apply input validation and sanitization using a whitelist approach for all user-controlled parameters
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection detection rules as a temporary mitigation layer
• Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP ranges only

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /subject/controller.php" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,\
    chain"
SecRule ARGS "@detectSQLi" \
    "setvar:tx.sql_injection_score=+1"