CVE-2025-3553: Phpshe SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-3553 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in phpshe version 1.8, affecting the pe_delete function within the administrative panel. This vulnerability allows remote authenticated attackers to manipulate the brand_id[] parameter in /admin.php?mod=brand&act=del to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can leverage this SQL injection vulnerability to read, modify, or delete database contents, potentially leading to data exfiltration, unauthorized access to sensitive information, or complete database compromise.

Affected Products

• phpshe version 1.8
• phpshe e-commerce platform installations with administrative access enabled

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-14 - CVE-2025-3553 published to NVD
• 2025-10-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-3553

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability resides in the brand deletion functionality of the phpshe e-commerce platform's administrative interface. The pe_delete function fails to properly sanitize the brand_id[] array parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. When an authenticated administrator sends a DELETE request to /admin.php?mod=brand&act=del, the application directly uses user-supplied input from the brand_id[] parameter without adequate validation or parameterization.

The flaw is classified under CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), indicating that special characters and SQL syntax are not properly escaped or filtered before being passed to the database engine.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient input validation and the lack of parameterized queries in the pe_delete function. The application concatenates user-supplied values from the brand_id[] array directly into SQL DELETE statements without proper sanitization. Array parameters are particularly susceptible to injection attacks when applications iterate through them without validating each element, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL payloads through one or more array values.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring the attacker to have authenticated access to the administrative panel. Once authenticated, an attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint /admin.php?mod=brand&act=del with a specially crafted brand_id[] parameter containing SQL injection payloads. The injected SQL code is then executed by the database with the privileges of the application's database user.

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating the array parameter in the DELETE request. For example, an attacker could inject SQL commands through the brand_id[] parameter values, potentially using techniques such as UNION-based injection to extract data, time-based blind injection to enumerate database structure, or stacked queries to execute additional SQL statements. For detailed technical information, refer to the VulDB Entry #304594 and the Yuque Security Document.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-3553

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages or database exceptions in web server logs originating from /admin.php?mod=brand&act=del
• Multiple rapid DELETE requests to the brand management endpoint from a single source
• Database query logs showing malformed or unexpected SQL statements in brand-related operations
• Evidence of unauthorized data access or modifications in the database audit trail

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the brand_id[] parameter
• Monitor HTTP request logs for suspicious characters in array parameters including single quotes, double dashes, UNION statements, and semicolons
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns from the phpshe application
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the phpshe administrative interface and review logs for suspicious activity
• Configure database audit logging to capture all DELETE operations and queries against brand-related tables
• Set up alerts for failed login attempts followed by requests to the vulnerable endpoint
• Monitor for unusual data exfiltration patterns or large database result sets

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-3553

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict administrative panel access to trusted IP addresses only using firewall rules or .htaccess configurations
• Implement additional authentication mechanisms such as two-factor authentication for admin access
• Review database user privileges and apply the principle of least privilege to the phpshe database account
• Consider temporarily disabling the brand deletion functionality until a patch is available

Patch Information

At the time of this advisory, no official vendor patch has been publicly documented for this vulnerability. Organizations running phpshe 1.8 should contact the vendor directly for remediation guidance or monitor official channels for security updates. Reference the VulDB Submission #548265 for the latest status on this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules enabled for the administrative interface
• Implement input validation at the application level by modifying the pe_delete function to use parameterized queries or prepared statements
• Add server-side validation to ensure brand_id[] values are strictly numeric before processing
• Restrict network access to the administrative panel using VPN or IP whitelisting

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