CVE-2025-4300: Emiloi CMS SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-4300 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in itsourcecode Content Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /search_list.php file, where improper handling of the Search parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the backend database through the search functionality, potentially exposing sensitive data and compromising system integrity.

Affected Products

• Emiloi Content Management System 1.0
• itsourcecode Content Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-06 - CVE-2025-4300 published to NVD
• 2025-05-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-4300

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability resides in the search functionality of the Content Management System. When a user submits a search query through the /search_list.php endpoint, the application fails to properly sanitize or parameterize the Search argument before incorporating it into SQL queries. This lack of input validation allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL syntax that gets executed directly against the database server.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), which encompasses injection flaws where user-controlled input is not properly sanitized before being used in structured queries or commands.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the direct concatenation of user-supplied input into SQL query strings without proper sanitization, parameterization, or prepared statement usage. The application fails to implement proper input validation on the Search parameter before it is incorporated into database queries, allowing malicious SQL syntax to be interpreted as part of the query structure rather than as data.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /search_list.php endpoint with specially crafted payloads in the Search parameter. These payloads can include SQL commands to extract data from the database, modify existing records, delete data, or potentially execute operating system commands depending on the database configuration and privileges.

The exploitation process involves sending HTTP GET or POST requests to the vulnerable endpoint with SQL injection payloads. Attackers may use techniques such as UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables, boolean-based blind injection to infer database contents, or time-based blind injection when direct output is not visible. The public disclosure of this exploit increases the risk of widespread exploitation.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-4300

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL syntax patterns in web server logs for /search_list.php requests
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION, SELECT, or OR statements from the search functionality
• Anomalous database access patterns indicating data exfiltration attempts
• Web application firewall alerts for SQL injection attack signatures

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the Search parameter
• Monitor HTTP request logs for suspicious characters and SQL keywords in search queries (e.g., single quotes, UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1)
• Enable database query logging and audit for anomalous query patterns originating from the CMS application
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with SQL injection signature detection

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the web server to capture full request parameters for the /search_list.php endpoint
• Configure database monitoring to alert on unusual query volumes or patterns from the CMS application user
• Implement real-time alerting for SQL error messages in application logs
• Review access logs regularly for repeated requests to the vulnerable endpoint with varying parameters

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-4300

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict or disable access to /search_list.php until a patch is applied
• Implement input validation and sanitization for the Search parameter at the application level
• Deploy web application firewall rules to block SQL injection attempts targeting this endpoint
• Review and audit database logs for any signs of prior exploitation

Patch Information

As of the last modified date (2025-05-13), no official vendor patch has been publicly documented for this vulnerability. Users should monitor the itsourcecode website for security updates. In the absence of an official patch, organizations should implement the workarounds listed below and consider replacing the affected CMS with a more secure alternative if patches are not forthcoming.

For additional technical details and vulnerability tracking, refer to the VulDB entry #307404 and the GitHub issue tracker.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements or parameterized queries for all database interactions in /search_list.php
• Add server-side input validation to reject SQL special characters and keywords from the Search parameter
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• Restrict network access to the CMS administrative interface and search functionality
• Consider temporarily disabling the search feature if it is not business-critical

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:Search "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in Search parameter',\
    tag:'CVE-2025-4300'"