CVE-2025-4935: Stock Management System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2025-4935 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Stock Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /php_action/changePassword.php file, where improper handling of the user_id parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries without authentication, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying database system.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the Stock Management System without requiring authentication.

Affected Products

• SourceCodester Stock Management System 1.0
• oretnom23 stock_management_system 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-19 - CVE-2025-4935 published to NVD
• 2025-05-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-4935

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) occurs in the password change functionality of the Stock Management System. The application fails to properly sanitize or parameterize the user_id argument before incorporating it into SQL queries. 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-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) and CWE-89 (SQL Injection), indicating a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation against unpatched systems.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and parameterized queries in the changePassword.php file. The user_id parameter is directly concatenated or interpolated into SQL statements without sanitization, allowing attackers to inject SQL syntax that alters the query's logic. This represents a classic SQL injection pattern where user-controlled input is trusted without verification.

Attack Vector

The attack can be initiated remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests targeting the /php_action/changePassword.php endpoint with a specially crafted user_id parameter containing SQL injection payloads.

The vulnerability allows attackers to:

• Extract sensitive information from the database including user credentials and business data
• Modify or delete database records
• Bypass authentication mechanisms
• Potentially execute operating system commands depending on database configuration

For detailed technical information about the exploitation methodology, refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and the VulDB CTI Incident Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-4935

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests to /php_action/changePassword.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or UNION statements
• Database query logs showing malformed or unexpected queries originating from the changePassword functionality
• Web server access logs with suspicious user_id parameter values containing encoded SQL commands
• Database errors or exceptions related to malformed SQL syntax in application logs

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the user_id parameter
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns
• Enable detailed logging on the web application and database server to capture suspicious query patterns
• Monitor for anomalous database activity including bulk data extraction or privilege escalation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure real-time alerting for SQL syntax patterns in HTTP request parameters targeting the affected endpoint
• Establish baseline database query patterns and alert on deviations indicating potential SQL injection exploitation
• Monitor database user privilege changes and unauthorized data access attempts
• Implement application-level logging to track all password change requests with full parameter details

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-4935

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /php_action/changePassword.php endpoint using network-level controls or .htaccess rules until patching is possible
• Implement input validation on the user_id parameter to accept only numeric values
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules enabled
• Review database user permissions to ensure the application uses least-privilege database accounts

Patch Information

As of the last modification date (2025-05-28), no official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Organizations using SourceCodester Stock Management System 1.0 should monitor the SourceCodester Security Resources for updates. Given the public disclosure of this vulnerability, immediate application of workarounds is strongly recommended.

For additional vulnerability details and tracking, refer to VulDB #309497.

Workarounds

• Modify the changePassword.php file to implement prepared statements with parameterized queries for all database operations
• Add server-side input validation to ensure the user_id parameter contains only valid numeric identifiers
• Implement application-level access controls requiring authentication before accessing the password change functionality
• Consider temporarily disabling the password change functionality if the risk is unacceptable and no immediate fix is available

# Example: Restrict access to vulnerable endpoint via Apache .htaccess
# Place in the web root or /php_action/ directory
<Files "changePassword.php">
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    # Allow only from trusted internal networks
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
</Files>