CVE-2025-3040 Overview
A critical unrestricted file upload vulnerability has been identified in Project Worlds Online Time Table Generator version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /admin/add_student.php file where the pic parameter fails to properly validate uploaded files, allowing attackers to upload arbitrary files to the server. This flaw can be exploited remotely by authenticated users with low privileges, potentially leading to remote code execution if malicious scripts are uploaded and executed on the target system.
Critical Impact
Attackers can upload malicious files including web shells or executable scripts through the pic parameter, potentially gaining unauthorized access to the underlying server and compromising the entire application.
Affected Products
- Project Worlds Online Time Table Generator 1.0
- Systems running /admin/add_student.php endpoint with file upload functionality
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-03-31 - CVE-2025-3040 published to NVD
- 2025-07-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-3040
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). The application fails to implement proper validation controls on file uploads through the pic parameter in the student registration functionality. Without adequate file type verification, content inspection, or extension filtering, the application blindly accepts whatever files users submit.
The attack is network-accessible and requires only low-level privileges, meaning any authenticated user with access to the add student functionality could potentially exploit this flaw. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system, as successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution on the server.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms in the file upload handling code. The /admin/add_student.php script does not properly sanitize or validate the file type, extension, or content of uploaded files through the pic parameter. This allows attackers to bypass any intended restrictions and upload files with dangerous extensions such as .php, .asp, or .jsp that can be executed by the web server.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker with valid credentials to access the admin panel can navigate to the student registration page and manipulate the pic parameter to upload a malicious file. The exploitation flow typically involves:
- Authenticating to the application with low-privilege credentials
- Navigating to /admin/add_student.php
- Crafting a malicious payload (such as a PHP web shell) disguised or submitted as an image file
- Uploading the malicious file through the pic parameter
- Accessing the uploaded file to execute arbitrary commands on the server
The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and technical details are available through the GitHub Issue on CVE-11 and VulDB #302102.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-3040
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual file uploads in the student picture/upload directory with executable extensions (.php, .asp, .jsp, .phtml)
- HTTP POST requests to /admin/add_student.php containing suspicious file content or malicious payloads
- New or unexpected files appearing in web-accessible directories with recently modified timestamps
- Anomalous outbound network connections from the web server process
Detection Strategies
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block file upload attempts with dangerous extensions targeting /admin/add_student.php
- Monitor file system changes in upload directories for files with executable extensions or double extensions
- Review web server access logs for repeated POST requests to the vulnerable endpoint with large payload sizes
- Deploy file integrity monitoring to alert on new files created in web-accessible directories
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed logging on the web server to capture all requests to /admin/add_student.php including file upload details
- Configure alerts for any new files with executable extensions created in the application's upload directories
- Monitor for unusual process spawning from the web server process (httpd, nginx, php-fpm)
- Implement network monitoring to detect command and control traffic originating from the web server
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-3040
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to /admin/add_student.php to only trusted IP addresses or authenticated administrators
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block file uploads with dangerous extensions
- Review and remove any suspicious files from the application's upload directories
- Consider temporarily disabling the file upload functionality until a patch is available
Patch Information
No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability at the time of publication. Users are advised to implement the workarounds below and monitor the VulDB entry for updates. Given that Project Worlds Online Time Table Generator is an educational/demo project, users should consider migrating to a more actively maintained alternative or implementing custom fixes.
Workarounds
- Implement server-side file type validation that checks MIME types and file content signatures, not just extensions
- Create an allowlist of permitted file extensions (e.g., .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif) and reject all others
- Store uploaded files outside the web root directory to prevent direct execution
- Rename uploaded files to random strings to prevent attackers from predicting file locations
- Configure the web server to disable script execution in upload directories using .htaccess or server configuration
# Apache .htaccess configuration to prevent script execution in upload directory
# Place this file in your uploads directory
# Disable PHP execution
php_flag engine off
# Deny access to potentially dangerous file types
<FilesMatch "\.(php|phtml|php3|php4|php5|pl|py|jsp|asp|aspx|cgi|sh|bash)$">
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
# Only allow specific image types
<FilesMatch "\.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif)$">
Order Allow,Deny
Allow from all
</FilesMatch>
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
