CVE-2025-5782 Overview
CVE-2025-5782 is a SQL injection vulnerability in PHPGurukul Employee Record Management System version 1.3. The flaw resides in the /resetpassword.php script, where the newpassword parameter is passed to a backend SQL query without proper sanitization. Attackers can inject malicious SQL payloads through this parameter to manipulate database queries. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network and requires low privileges. Public disclosure of the exploit details has occurred through VulDB and a GitHub issue tracker, increasing the risk of opportunistic exploitation.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject arbitrary SQL statements through the password reset workflow, potentially exposing or modifying employee records stored in the backend database.
Affected Products
- PHPGurukul Employee Record Management System 1.3
- Deployments using the vulnerable /resetpassword.php endpoint
- Web applications built on the unpatched PHPGurukul codebase
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-06 - CVE-2025-5782 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-5782
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-74] as improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component (Injection). The /resetpassword.php script accepts user-supplied input through the newpassword argument and passes it directly into a SQL statement. Because the input is not parameterized or escaped, an attacker can break out of the intended query context and append additional SQL clauses.
Exploitation grants attackers the ability to read, modify, or delete records from the employee database. The application's authentication boundary provides limited protection because the attack requires only low privileges, meaning any account able to reach the reset password functionality can trigger the flaw. With an EPSS probability of 0.292%, active large-scale exploitation is currently low, but public exploit disclosure raises the risk over time.
Root Cause
The root cause is the concatenation of untrusted request data into a SQL query string without parameter binding. Standard defenses such as prepared statements, input allowlisting, or ORM abstractions are absent from the affected password reset routine.
Attack Vector
The attack is delivered remotely over HTTP by submitting a crafted value in the newpassword field of the password reset form. Because the vulnerability targets a server-side database query, no user interaction beyond the attacker's own request is required. See the GitHub Issue #57 Discussion and VulDB #311330 entries for public technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5782
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual POST requests to /resetpassword.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, UNION, SELECT, or comment sequences (--, #).
- Database error messages or stack traces appearing in web server logs following password reset requests.
- Unexpected modifications to employee records or password hash fields without matching legitimate user activity.
Detection Strategies
- Enable web server request logging and search for anomalous payloads in the newpassword parameter.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection signatures tuned to inspect password reset endpoints.
- Correlate database audit logs against application access logs to detect out-of-band query patterns originating from /resetpassword.php.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on repeated failed password reset attempts from the same source address within a short window.
- Monitor for spikes in database read volume against employee tables following reset requests.
- Track new administrative or high-privilege accounts created shortly after suspicious reset traffic.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5782
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to /resetpassword.php at the network or reverse proxy layer until a patch is applied.
- Rotate credentials for any accounts that may have been exposed, particularly administrative users.
- Enable WAF rules that block SQL injection patterns targeting the newpassword parameter.
Patch Information
No vendor patch has been referenced in the CVE record at time of writing. Administrators should monitor the PHP Gurukul Resource site for updates and review the VulDB CTI ID #311330 entry for remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, code owners should rewrite the affected query using prepared statements with bound parameters.
Workarounds
- Replace inline SQL concatenation in resetpassword.php with PDO or MySQLi prepared statements using bound parameters.
- Apply strict server-side input validation to reject characters not required for password values.
- Reduce database account privileges used by the web application to the minimum required for normal operation.
- Consider taking the Employee Record Management System offline if it is not business-critical while remediation is planned.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
