CVE-2025-15407: Online Guitar Store SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-15407 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Online Guitar Store version 1.0. This vulnerability affects the /admin/Create_category.php file, where improper handling of the dre_Ctitle argument allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements. The attack can be executed remotely without authentication, potentially compromising the underlying database and sensitive information stored within the application.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion of database contents.

Affected Products

• Anisha Online Guitar Store 1.0
• code-projects Online Guitar Store 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-01 - CVE-2025-15407 published to NVD
• 2026-01-06 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-15407

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability exists within the administrative category creation functionality of the Online Guitar Store application. 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 flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data in the dre_Ctitle parameter before it is incorporated into SQL queries. Since the application fails to properly escape or parameterize this input, attackers can craft malicious payloads that alter the intended SQL query logic.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the direct inclusion of unsanitized user input from the dre_Ctitle parameter into SQL statements within the /admin/Create_category.php file. The application lacks proper input validation, prepared statements, or parameterized queries that would prevent malicious SQL code from being executed. This represents a classic SQL injection scenario where the application trusts user input without applying appropriate security controls.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker can submit specially crafted requests to the /admin/Create_category.php endpoint with malicious SQL syntax embedded in the dre_Ctitle parameter. Upon processing, the injected SQL code is executed against the database, allowing the attacker to potentially:

• Extract sensitive data from the database
• Modify or delete existing records
• Bypass authentication mechanisms
• Execute administrative database operations
• Potentially escalate to system-level access depending on database configuration

The exploit has been publicly disclosed, and technical details are available through the GitHub Issue Tracker and VulDB #339327.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-15407

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in application logs originating from /admin/Create_category.php
• HTTP requests to /admin/Create_category.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1, DROP, or comment characters (--, /*)
• Unexpected database queries or data modifications in database audit logs
• Anomalous traffic patterns targeting administrative endpoints

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests
• Configure application logging to capture all requests to /admin/Create_category.php with full parameter values
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection payloads
• Monitor database query logs for suspicious or malformed queries originating from the web application

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed access logging for all administrative PHP endpoints
• Configure real-time alerting for requests containing potential SQL injection payloads
• Implement database activity monitoring to track unusual query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Review web server access logs regularly for reconnaissance activity targeting administrative pages

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-15407

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or restrict public access to the /admin/Create_category.php file until a patch is available
• Implement IP-based access controls to limit administrative endpoint access to trusted networks only
• Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection protection rules
• Review database permissions and limit the application's database user privileges to the minimum required

Patch Information

As of the last update on 2026-01-06, no official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Organizations using the Online Guitar Store application should monitor the Code Projects Resource Hub for security updates. Given the public disclosure of this vulnerability, affected systems should implement compensating controls immediately.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation and sanitization for the dre_Ctitle parameter to reject or escape SQL special characters
• Modify the vulnerable code to use prepared statements or parameterized queries instead of string concatenation
• Restrict access to administrative endpoints using .htaccess rules or server configuration
• Consider temporarily disabling the category creation functionality until proper fixes are applied
• Deploy a reverse proxy with request filtering capabilities to intercept malicious requests

# Apache .htaccess configuration to restrict admin access
<Files "Create_category.php">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
</Files>