CVE-2025-8240 Overview
A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Exam Form Submission version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /user/dashboard.php file where improper handling of the phone parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially compromising the entire database backend.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract, modify, or delete sensitive data from the application's database, potentially compromising student records and examination data.
Affected Products
- code-projects Exam Form Submission 1.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-27 - CVE-2025-8240 published to NVD
- 2025-08-05 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-8240
Vulnerability Analysis
This SQL injection vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the phone parameter within /user/dashboard.php. When user input is directly concatenated into SQL queries without parameterization or adequate filtering, attackers can manipulate the query logic to perform unauthorized database operations.
The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands through the phone parameter. This can lead to unauthorized data access, data manipulation, and potentially complete database compromise. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation against unpatched installations.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input in database queries. The phone parameter in dashboard.php is directly incorporated into SQL statements without proper escaping, prepared statements, or parameterized queries. This classic CWE-74 (Injection) vulnerability pattern allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and execute arbitrary SQL commands.
Attack Vector
The attack can be launched remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker sends a specially crafted HTTP request to the /user/dashboard.php endpoint with malicious SQL syntax in the phone parameter. The injected SQL commands are then executed with the privileges of the database user configured for the application.
The exploitation technique typically involves:
- Identifying the injection point through error-based or blind SQL injection techniques
- Determining the database structure through information schema queries
- Extracting sensitive data such as user credentials, exam results, or personal information
- Potentially escalating to administrative access or modifying examination records
For technical details and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub Issue #8 Discussion and VulDB ID #317828.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-8240
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual SQL error messages appearing in application logs or responses from /user/dashboard.php
- Suspicious HTTP requests to dashboard.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1, or encoded variants in the phone parameter
- Database query logs showing malformed or unexpected queries originating from the web application
- Unexpected database modifications or access to sensitive tables containing student or exam data
Detection Strategies
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the phone parameter
- Monitor HTTP access logs for requests to /user/dashboard.php containing suspicious characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
- Enable database query logging and alert on queries containing injection patterns or unusual command sequences
- Deploy intrusion detection systems with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging for the web application and database to capture detailed request and query information
- Set up automated alerting for anomalous database activity, including bulk data extraction or schema enumeration
- Regularly review access logs for the affected endpoint /user/dashboard.php
- Monitor for unauthorized changes to user records or examination data in the database
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-8240
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the vulnerable /user/dashboard.php endpoint until a patch can be applied
- Implement input validation on the phone parameter to allow only numeric characters and expected phone number formats
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
- Review application logs and database audit trails for evidence of prior exploitation attempts
Patch Information
No official vendor patch information is currently available for this vulnerability. Organizations using code-projects Exam Form Submission 1.0 should monitor the Code Projects Resource Hub for security updates and consider implementing the workarounds below until an official fix is released.
Workarounds
- Replace dynamic SQL queries with parameterized queries or prepared statements in the dashboard.php file
- Implement strict input validation to whitelist acceptable characters for the phone parameter (digits, hyphens, and spaces only)
- Apply the principle of least privilege to the database user account used by the application
- Consider placing the application behind a reverse proxy with SQL injection filtering capabilities
- If feasible, temporarily disable the affected functionality until proper remediation can be implemented
# Example: Basic input validation for phone parameter (conceptual)
# Restrict phone parameter to digits only at the web server level
# Apache mod_rewrite example to block suspicious requests:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} phone=.*[^0-9\-\+\s] [NC]
RewriteRule ^/user/dashboard\.php$ - [F,L]
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
