CVE-2025-3174 Overview
A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in Project Worlds Online Lawyer Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /searchLawyer.php file, where improper handling of the experience parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to bypass authentication, extract sensitive data from the database, modify or delete records, and potentially gain further access to the underlying server infrastructure.
Affected Products
- Project Worlds Online Lawyer Management System 1.0
Discovery Timeline
- April 3, 2025 - CVE-2025-3174 published to NVD
- April 23, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-3174
Vulnerability Analysis
This SQL injection vulnerability resides in the /searchLawyer.php endpoint of the Online Lawyer Management System. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the experience parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. When a user submits a search request, the application directly concatenates the experience parameter value into the database query without adequate validation or parameterized query implementation. This allows attackers to break out of the intended query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component). The network-accessible nature of this flaw means that any remote attacker can exploit it without requiring authentication or user interaction.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and sanitization in the searchLawyer.php file. The application directly uses user-controlled input from the experience parameter in SQL query construction without employing parameterized queries (prepared statements) or adequate input filtering. This is a classic example of improper neutralization of special elements that can be interpreted as SQL syntax by the database engine.
Attack Vector
The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /searchLawyer.php endpoint with specially crafted payloads in the experience parameter. By injecting SQL syntax such as single quotes, UNION statements, or boolean-based conditions, attackers can manipulate the query logic to extract database contents, bypass authentication mechanisms, or perform destructive operations.
The vulnerability can be exploited through standard HTTP requests to the affected endpoint. Attackers typically inject SQL metacharacters into the experience parameter to alter the query structure, enabling techniques such as UNION-based extraction, error-based enumeration, or blind SQL injection. For detailed technical analysis and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-3174
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual or malformed requests to /searchLawyer.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, UNION keywords, or semicolons in the experience parameter
- Database error messages exposed in HTTP responses indicating SQL syntax errors
- Unexpected database query patterns or execution of multiple queries in rapid succession
- Anomalous data access patterns in database audit logs, particularly bulk data extraction
Detection Strategies
- Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP parameters targeting the /searchLawyer.php endpoint
- Implement application-level logging to capture all requests to the vulnerable endpoint with full parameter values
- Configure database query monitoring to alert on unusual query structures or execution patterns
- Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with SQL injection signature detection capabilities
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the web server and application to capture detailed request information
- Monitor database server logs for failed authentication attempts or unusual query execution
- Implement real-time alerting for requests containing known SQL injection patterns
- Review web access logs regularly for reconnaissance activity targeting PHP endpoints
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-3174
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to the /searchLawyer.php endpoint through network segmentation or access control lists until a patch is available
- Deploy WAF rules specifically blocking SQL injection attempts in the experience parameter
- Implement input validation at the application perimeter to reject requests containing SQL metacharacters
- Consider taking the affected application offline if it processes sensitive data and cannot be adequately protected
Patch Information
No official vendor patch has been released at this time. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and may be actively exploited. Organizations using Project Worlds Online Lawyer Management System 1.0 should implement the recommended workarounds and monitor for vendor security updates. For additional technical details, refer to VulDB #303133.
Workarounds
- Implement parameterized queries (prepared statements) in the /searchLawyer.php file to prevent SQL injection
- Add strict input validation to whitelist only numeric values for the experience parameter
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules enabled
- Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP ranges only
- Consider implementing a reverse proxy with request filtering capabilities
# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in experience parameter
SecRule ARGS:experience "@detectSQLi" \
"id:100001,\
phase:2,\
deny,\
status:403,\
msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in experience parameter',\
log,\
auditlog"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
