CVE-2025-7609: Simple Shopping Cart SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2025-7609 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Simple Shopping Cart version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /register.php file where improper handling of the ruser_email parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive user data, bypass authentication mechanisms, or compromise the underlying database server through the publicly accessible registration endpoint.

Affected Products

• Fabian Simple Shopping Cart 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• July 14, 2025 - CVE-2025-7609 published to NVD
• October 23, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-7609

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation in the user registration functionality. The /register.php endpoint accepts user-supplied input through the ruser_email parameter and incorporates it directly into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterized query implementation. This classic injection flaw 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-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command) and CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component). The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation against unpatched installations.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to implement proper input sanitization and parameterized queries (prepared statements) in the registration form processing logic. The application directly concatenates user-supplied email input into SQL query strings, allowing special SQL characters and commands to be interpreted by the database engine rather than treated as literal data values.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker targets the registration page (/register.php) and submits a crafted payload in the ruser_email field. By injecting SQL syntax such as single quotes, UNION statements, or boolean-based payloads, the attacker can manipulate query logic to extract database contents, bypass authentication checks, or potentially execute administrative database commands.

The vulnerability is exploited by submitting malicious input through the email registration field. For example, an attacker might craft input containing SQL metacharacters and statement terminators to break out of the intended query context and append their own SQL commands. This could allow extraction of user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive data stored in the database. Technical details of the exploit methodology are available in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-7609

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL syntax patterns in web server access logs targeting /register.php
• HTTP POST requests to /register.php containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, OR, AND, --, #) in the ruser_email parameter
• Database error messages appearing in application logs indicating malformed SQL queries
• Unexpected database queries or data exfiltration patterns in database audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection payloads in registration form submissions
• Configure application logging to capture and alert on requests containing SQL metacharacters in user input fields
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Use intrusion detection systems with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server logs for repeated requests to /register.php with varying payloads indicating automated exploitation attempts
• Enable database query logging and alert on queries containing suspicious patterns or accessing sensitive tables
• Track failed registration attempts that generate database errors as potential reconnaissance activity
• Implement rate limiting on the registration endpoint to slow automated attack tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-7609

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or disable public access to the Simple Shopping Cart application until patched
• Implement a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
• Review database logs for evidence of past exploitation and assess potential data breach scope
• Consider replacing the vulnerable application with a maintained e-commerce solution that follows secure coding practices

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is currently available for this vulnerability. The affected software, Simple Shopping Cart 1.0 by code-projects, does not appear to have an active maintenance or security response process. Organizations using this software should implement compensating controls or consider migrating to a supported e-commerce platform. Additional vulnerability details can be found at VulDB #316309.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation on the ruser_email parameter to reject any characters not valid in email addresses
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF configured to sanitize or block SQL injection payloads before they reach the application
• Modify the application source code to use parameterized queries (prepared statements) for all database interactions
• Restrict database user permissions to minimum required privileges, preventing destructive SQL commands from executing even if injected

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in email fields
SecRule ARGS:ruser_email "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in registration email field',\
    tag:'CVE-2025-7609'"