CVE-2025-4058: Online Examination System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-4058 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in Projectworlds Online Examination System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the file /Bloodgroop_process.php where the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter is not properly sanitized before being used in SQL queries. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to compromise the database backend, potentially extracting sensitive examination data, student records, and authentication credentials without requiring any prior authentication.

Affected Products

• Projectworlds Online Examination System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-29 - CVE-2025-4058 published to NVD
• 2025-05-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-4058

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input through the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter is incorporated directly into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerable endpoint /Bloodgroop_process.php accepts input that can be manipulated to alter the intended SQL query structure, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database.

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring authentication, and the exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive data from the examination system, modify records, or potentially escalate to broader system compromise depending on database permissions.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the lack of parameterized queries (prepared statements) in the /Bloodgroop_process.php file. The application directly concatenates user input from the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter into SQL queries, violating secure coding practices and creating a classic injection vulnerability pattern (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoint, injecting SQL syntax into the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter. The injected payload is then executed by the database server with the privileges of the application's database user.

The vulnerability can be exploited through standard HTTP requests to the /Bloodgroop_process.php endpoint. By manipulating the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter with SQL metacharacters and commands, an attacker can modify query logic to extract data, bypass authentication, or perform other database operations. For detailed technical information, refer to the GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB Entry #306495.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-4058

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in web application logs originating from /Bloodgroop_process.php
• HTTP requests to /Bloodgroop_process.php containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, double dashes, UNION keywords) in the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter
• Database query logs showing unexpected queries or data extraction patterns
• Anomalous database access patterns or bulk data retrieval operations

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns targeting the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter
• Implement application-level logging for all requests to /Bloodgroop_process.php and analyze for injection attempts
• Monitor database audit logs for queries containing suspicious patterns or unauthorized data access
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the web server and database server to capture detailed request information
• Set up alerts for database errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Monitor for unusual outbound data transfers that could indicate data exfiltration
• Implement real-time monitoring of the /Bloodgroop_process.php endpoint for abnormal traffic patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-4058

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to /Bloodgroop_process.php at the web server level until a patch is available
• Implement input validation and WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts against the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter
• Review database user permissions and apply the principle of least privilege
• Audit database logs for any signs of prior exploitation

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is currently available for this vulnerability. The vulnerability exists in Projectworlds Online Examination System version 1.0. Organizations using this software should implement the workarounds below and monitor for vendor updates. For additional context, review the VulDB CTI Entry #306495.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements (parameterized queries) in the /Bloodgroop_process.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules in front of the application
• Apply strict input validation to reject SQL metacharacters in the Pat_BloodGroup1 parameter
• Consider disabling or removing the vulnerable functionality if not critical to operations

# Example Apache configuration to block access to vulnerable endpoint
<Location "/Bloodgroop_process.php">
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    # Allow only from trusted administrative IPs if needed
    # Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
</Location>