CVE-2025-3142 Overview
CVE-2025-3142 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Apartment Visitor Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /add-apartment.php script, where the buildingno parameter is passed directly into a SQL query without proper sanitization [CWE-74]. Attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network and requires only low-privilege authentication. Additional parameters in the same script may also be affected. Public disclosure of exploitation details has occurred through VulDB and a GitHub research repository, increasing the risk of opportunistic abuse against exposed deployments.
Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL through the buildingno parameter in /add-apartment.php, leading to unauthorized read, modification, or deletion of database records.
Affected Products
- SourceCodester Apartment Visitor Management System 1.0
- Vendor: oretnom23
- Component: /add-apartment.php (parameter buildingno, with additional parameters potentially affected)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-03 - CVE-2025-3142 published to NVD
- 2025-05-14 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-3142
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a classic SQL injection flaw in a PHP-based web application. The /add-apartment.php endpoint accepts a buildingno value from the client and concatenates it into a SQL statement without parameterized queries or input validation. An attacker who can reach the application and authenticate with low-privilege credentials can supply crafted input that breaks out of the intended query context. The CWE classification [CWE-74] identifies improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component. The advisory notes that multiple parameters in the same handler may share the same flaw, expanding the attack surface beyond buildingno alone.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of prepared statements or input sanitization when constructing SQL queries from user-supplied data in /add-apartment.php. The application trusts the buildingno argument and concatenates it directly into the database query string.
Attack Vector
Attackers reach the vulnerable endpoint over HTTP/HTTPS from any network-connected host. Exploitation requires a valid low-privilege session, after which the attacker submits a crafted buildingno value containing SQL metacharacters. Successful injection enables data extraction, modification, or destruction within the connected database. Technical details and proof-of-concept references are published at the GitHub SQL Resource and VulDB entry #303047.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-3142
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP POST or GET requests to /add-apartment.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', ", --, ;, UNION, or SELECT in the buildingno parameter.
- Web server access logs showing repeated requests to /add-apartment.php from a single source with varying parameter payloads.
- Database error messages or unusually long response times correlated with requests to /add-apartment.php.
- Unexpected administrative or apartment records appearing or disappearing in the application database.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web application firewall (WAF) logs for SQL injection signatures targeting the /add-apartment.php endpoint.
- Enable MySQL or MariaDB general query logging temporarily and review queries originating from the application user for anomalous syntax.
- Correlate authenticated session activity with database write events to identify unauthorized data manipulation.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor outbound database connections and query patterns from the web server for deviations from baseline application behavior.
- Alert on HTTP 500 responses or database driver exceptions emitted by the application, which often accompany injection attempts.
- Track failed and successful authentication events against the application to identify low-privilege accounts being abused for exploitation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-3142
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to the Apartment Visitor Management System to trusted internal networks or VPN users until a patch is available.
- Audit existing user accounts and disable any low-privilege accounts not actively required, since exploitation requires authentication.
- Deploy a WAF rule blocking SQL metacharacters in requests targeting /add-apartment.php.
- Review database audit logs for prior injection activity going back to the application's deployment date.
Patch Information
No vendor patch has been published for SourceCodester Apartment Visitor Management System 1.0 at the time of this writing. Operators should monitor the SourceCodester project page for updates and apply any released fix immediately. In the absence of a vendor patch, administrators should modify the application source to use parameterized queries (PDO prepared statements or mysqli_prepare) for all database calls in /add-apartment.php.
Workarounds
- Replace string concatenation in /add-apartment.php with parameterized queries using PDO or mysqli prepared statements for buildingno and all other user-supplied parameters.
- Apply server-side input validation that rejects non-numeric input for buildingno if the field is intended to hold an integer building identifier.
- Configure the database account used by the application with least-privilege permissions, removing rights to drop tables or read sensitive system schemas.
- Place the application behind a reverse proxy or WAF that normalizes and filters SQL injection payloads.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
