CVE-2025-6502: Inventory Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2025-6502 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in code-projects Inventory 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 commands. This flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate database queries, extract sensitive information, or modify data.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive database contents, or manipulate application data through crafted requests to the password change functionality.

Affected Products

• code-projects Inventory Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-23 - CVE-2025-6502 published to NVD
• 2025-06-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-6502

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) stems from insufficient input validation in the password change functionality of the Inventory Management System. The application fails to properly sanitize the user_id parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries, creating an injection point that attackers can exploit remotely.

The vulnerability is classified under both CWE-89 (SQL Injection) and CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), indicating that user-supplied input is directly concatenated into database queries without adequate escaping or parameterization. This is a common flaw in PHP applications that rely on legacy database query methods rather than prepared statements.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input sanitization and the use of unsafe query construction practices in the changePassword.php script. The user_id parameter is likely concatenated directly into SQL statements, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands. PHP applications that use functions like mysql_query() or construct queries through string concatenation are particularly susceptible to this class of vulnerability.

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 to the /php_action/changePassword.php endpoint, manipulating the user_id parameter to include SQL metacharacters and injection payloads.

Typical exploitation scenarios include:

• Authentication bypass: Modifying WHERE clauses to return true for any user
• Data exfiltration: Using UNION-based injection to extract database contents
• Data manipulation: Executing UPDATE or DELETE statements to modify records
• Privilege escalation: Changing administrative credentials or user roles

The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation in the wild. Attackers may leverage automated SQL injection tools to discover and exploit this vulnerability at scale.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-6502

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests to /php_action/changePassword.php containing SQL syntax such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
• Database error messages appearing in application logs referencing the changePassword.php script
• Unexpected modifications to user passwords or account information
• Signs of data exfiltration or unauthorized database queries in database audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in requests to /php_action/changePassword.php
• Implement application-level logging to capture all requests to authentication-related endpoints with full parameter values
• Monitor database query logs for anomalous statements originating from the web application
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the web server to capture request parameters for forensic analysis
• Configure database auditing to track all queries executed against user credential tables
• Set up alerts for multiple failed password change attempts or unusual patterns in the user_id parameter
• Review application logs regularly for SQL error messages that may indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-6502

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /php_action/changePassword.php endpoint until a patch is applied
• Implement network-level controls to limit access to the application from trusted IP ranges only
• Deploy WAF rules to block requests containing SQL injection payloads targeting the vulnerable parameter
• Review database logs for evidence of prior exploitation and check for unauthorized data modifications

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. Organizations using code-projects Inventory Management System 1.0 should contact the vendor for guidance or consider implementing manual fixes. For technical details, refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Tracker and VulDB #313618 Details.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation using parameterized queries or prepared statements in the changePassword.php file
• Apply a virtual patch through a WAF to sanitize the user_id parameter before it reaches the application
• Consider disabling the password change functionality temporarily if not critical to operations
• Migrate to a more secure inventory management solution if the vendor does not provide timely remediation

# Example .htaccess rule to restrict access to vulnerable endpoint
<Files "changePassword.php">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
</Files>