CVE-2025-9304: Online Bank Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2025-9304 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Online Bank Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in an unspecified function within the /bank/show.php file, where manipulation of the ID parameter enables SQL injection attacks. This flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication, allowing attackers to manipulate database queries and potentially access, modify, or delete sensitive banking data.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to bypass authentication, extract sensitive financial data, or compromise the integrity of the banking application's database without requiring any user interaction.

Affected Products

• Oretnom23 Online Bank Management System 1.0
• SourceCodester Online Bank Management System /bank/show.php component

Discovery Timeline

• August 21, 2025 - CVE-2025-9304 published to NVD
• August 22, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-9304

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands within the /bank/show.php file. The vulnerable endpoint accepts user-controlled input through the ID parameter without proper sanitization or parameterized queries, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary SQL statements.

The vulnerability is classified under both CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) and CWE-89 (SQL Injection), indicating that the application fails to properly validate and sanitize input before incorporating it into database queries. Since the attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction, exploitation is straightforward for remote attackers with basic SQL injection knowledge.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the direct incorporation of user-supplied input from the ID parameter into SQL queries without proper input validation, sanitization, or the use of prepared statements. The application appears to concatenate user input directly into SQL query strings, a common anti-pattern that enables injection attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack can be performed remotely over the network by sending crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable /bank/show.php endpoint. An attacker manipulates the ID parameter to inject malicious SQL code that alters the intended query logic. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation.

Typical attack scenarios include:

• Extracting sensitive customer banking information through UNION-based injection
• Bypassing authentication mechanisms to access administrative functions
• Modifying or deleting database records to disrupt banking operations
• Escalating privileges within the application

The vulnerability is documented in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and tracked by VulDB #320909. Additional technical details are available in the VulDB Critical Threat Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-9304

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to /bank/show.php containing SQL syntax in the ID parameter
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors or unexpected query behavior
• Evidence of data exfiltration through UNION SELECT statements or time-based blind injection patterns
• Anomalous database query patterns showing unauthorized table access or privilege escalation attempts

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the ID parameter
• Monitor HTTP request logs for suspicious payloads containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, OR, AND, --) in query parameters
• Deploy intrusion detection signatures specifically targeting SQL injection attempts against /bank/show.php
• Configure database activity monitoring to alert on unusual query patterns or access to sensitive tables

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the web server to capture all requests to /bank/show.php with full parameter values
• Set up real-time alerting for database errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Monitor for bulk data access patterns that could suggest successful data exfiltration
• Review application and database logs regularly for signs of reconnaissance or exploitation activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-9304

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or restrict access to the vulnerable /bank/show.php endpoint until a patch is available
• Implement strict input validation on the ID parameter, accepting only numeric values
• Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection protection rules as a temporary mitigation
• Review access logs to determine if exploitation has already occurred and assess potential data exposure

Patch Information

No official patch is currently available from the vendor. Organizations using this software should contact SourceCodester for updates on remediation. Given the nature of this educational/demo software, organizations should consider migrating to a production-ready banking solution with proper security controls.

Additional vulnerability details and community discussion can be found in the VulDB Submission Report.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements or parameterized queries in the /bank/show.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Add server-side input validation to ensure the ID parameter contains only expected numeric values
• Deploy network-level access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable endpoint to trusted IP ranges
• Consider taking the affected application offline until proper remediation can be applied

# Example: Apache mod_security rule to block SQL injection on ID parameter
SecRule ARGS:ID "[\'\";]|(--)|(\/\*)|(\b(union|select|insert|update|delete|drop)\b)" \
    "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked on ID parameter'"