CVE-2025-5558: Teacher Subject Allocation System SQL Injection

CVE-2025-5558 Overview

CVE-2025-5558 is a SQL injection vulnerability in PHPGurukul Teacher Subject Allocation Management System 1.0. The flaw exists in the /admin/changeimage.php script, where the editid parameter is concatenated into a SQL query without proper sanitization. An authenticated attacker can manipulate this parameter remotely to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The issue is tracked under CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component. Public disclosure has occurred through VulDB and a GitHub issue, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic exploitation against exposed installations.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject SQL through the editid parameter in /admin/changeimage.php, exposing administrative database contents to read, modify, or delete operations.

Affected Products

PHPGurukul Teacher Subject Allocation Management System 1.0
CPE: cpe:2.3:a:phpgurukul:teacher_subject_allocation_management_system:1.0
Vendor component: phpgurukul:teacher_subject_allocation_management_system

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-04 - CVE-2025-5558 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-5558

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in /admin/changeimage.php, an administrative endpoint used to update images associated with teacher records. The script accepts an editid HTTP parameter and uses it directly inside a SQL query string. Because the application does not parameterize the query or validate the input type, an attacker can append SQL syntax to alter query logic.

Successful exploitation allows the attacker to enumerate database schema, extract credentials from administrative tables, modify allocation records, or delete data. The attack is delivered over the network through standard HTTP requests, and exploitation requires only low-privileged authentication to the admin area. No user interaction is required after the request is sent.

Root Cause

The root cause is the unsafe construction of SQL statements using untrusted input. The editid value, expected to be a numeric identifier, is interpolated into the query without prepared statements, type casting, or input filtering. This violates the principle of separating code from data and matches the conditions described in CWE-89: SQL Injection, a child of CWE-74.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the admin interface and issues a crafted request to /admin/changeimage.php?editid=<payload>. The payload uses standard SQL injection techniques such as boolean-based blind injection, UNION-based extraction, or time-based blind injection to retrieve data. Because the affected file handles image updates, error-based feedback may also be available depending on display behavior. Public references to this issue are available in the GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB #311009.

No verified proof-of-concept code is available in the enriched dataset, so exploitation specifics are described in prose rather than reproduced here.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5558

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /admin/changeimage.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or comment sequences (--, #) in the editid parameter.
Web server access logs showing unusually long editid values or non-numeric content where an integer is expected.
Database error messages referencing syntax errors originating from changeimage.php requests.
Spikes in admin-session requests from a single source IP targeting image management endpoints.

Detection Strategies

Inspect application logs for requests to /admin/changeimage.php where editid does not match an integer-only regular expression such as ^[0-9]+$.
Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) signature for SQL injection patterns scoped to PHPGurukul admin endpoints.
Correlate authenticated admin sessions against the count of distinct editid values requested to surface enumeration behavior.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web server and PHP error logs to a centralized analytics platform and alert on SQL syntax errors tied to changeimage.php.
Monitor database query logs for unexpected UNION SELECT, INFORMATION_SCHEMA access, or BENCHMARK/SLEEP calls originating from the application user.
Track failed and successful admin logins followed by rapid sequential requests to image management routes.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5558

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the /admin/ directory by IP allowlist or VPN until a fix is applied.
Reject non-numeric editid values at the web server or WAF layer.
Rotate all admin credentials and database accounts used by the application, assuming potential exposure.
Review database audit logs for evidence of unauthorized SELECT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is referenced in the enriched data for PHPGurukul Teacher Subject Allocation Management System 1.0. Administrators should monitor the PHPGurukul site and the VulDB CTI Report #311009 for updates. Until a vendor fix is released, code-level remediation requires replacing string-concatenated SQL with prepared statements using mysqli or PDO parameter binding, and validating that editid is a positive integer before use.

Workarounds

Place the application behind a WAF with SQL injection rule sets enabled and tuned for PHP applications.
Add server-side input validation to coerce editid to an integer (for example, (int)$_GET['editid']) before any database interaction.
Apply least-privilege database permissions so the application account cannot read sensitive tables or execute administrative SQL commands.
If the system is not actively required, take it offline until remediation is verified.

bash

# Example nginx rule to enforce numeric editid on the vulnerable endpoint
location = /admin/changeimage.php {
    if ($arg_editid !~ "^[0-9]+$") {
        return 400;
    }
    include fastcgi_params;
    fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
}