CVE-2026-9525: Electronic Judging System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2026-9525 Overview

CVE-2026-9525 is a SQL injection vulnerability in itsourcecode Electronic Judging System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /admin/edit_judge.php script, where the judge_id parameter is passed to a database query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The exploit details have been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic attacks against exposed installations. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject SQL through the judge_id parameter in /admin/edit_judge.php, potentially exposing or altering judging data stored in the backend database.

Affected Products

itsourcecode Electronic Judging System 1.0
/admin/edit_judge.php administrative endpoint
Backend database tied to the judging application

Discovery Timeline

2026-05-26 - CVE-2026-9525 published to NVD
2026-05-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-9525

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the edit_judge.php administrative script of the Electronic Judging System. The application accepts the judge_id argument from an HTTP request and concatenates it into a SQL statement without parameterized queries or input validation. Attackers can submit crafted values that break out of the intended query context and append arbitrary SQL clauses.

The issue is reachable over the network and requires no authentication or user interaction. Because the exploit has been publicly disclosed through VulDB and a GitHub issue, attackers can reproduce the technique without prior research effort. See the GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB Vulnerability #365544 for additional technical context.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements in a SQL statement, classified as [CWE-74]. The judge_id parameter flows directly into a database query string. The application does not apply prepared statements, type casting, or input filtering before query execution.

Attack Vector

Attackers reach the vulnerability by sending an HTTP request to /admin/edit_judge.php with a manipulated judge_id value. Successful exploitation can return database content through error or union-based techniques, modify judge records, or pivot to broader database access. The attack vector is network-based with low complexity, and no privileges are required prior to exploitation.

No verified proof-of-concept code is mirrored in this article. Refer to the VulDB CTI for #365544 for disclosed exploit indicators.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-9525

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /admin/edit_judge.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, UNION, SELECT, --, or OR 1=1 within the judge_id parameter.
Database error messages or unexpected response sizes returned from edit_judge.php.
Unauthorized modifications or new entries in the judges table of the application database.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for anomalous judge_id values, including non-numeric characters, URL-encoded quotes (%27), or SQL keywords.
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that flags SQL injection patterns targeting the edit_judge.php endpoint.
Correlate database audit logs with web requests to identify queries originating from the administrative interface that deviate from expected templates.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose query logging on the MySQL or MariaDB instance backing the application and alert on syntax errors tied to the judges table.
Track repeated 500-class HTTP responses from /admin/edit_judge.php as a likely indicator of injection probing.
Forward web and database telemetry into a SIEM and build identification rules for SQL injection signatures against this endpoint.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-9525

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to /admin/ paths using IP allowlists, VPN, or HTTP authentication until a patch is available.
Disable or remove the Electronic Judging System 1.0 instance if it is not actively in use.
Audit existing judge records and database accounts for signs of unauthorized modification.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is referenced in the published advisory. Organizations running itsourcecode Electronic Judging System 1.0 should monitor the IT Source Code Homepage for an updated release. In the interim, developers maintaining the codebase should refactor edit_judge.php to use prepared statements with bound parameters and validate that judge_id is a positive integer before query execution.

Workarounds

Apply a WAF virtual patch that blocks SQL metacharacters in the judge_id parameter for requests targeting /admin/edit_judge.php.
Enforce database least-privilege by ensuring the application account cannot execute schema changes or read unrelated tables.
Implement server-side input validation that rejects any judge_id value that is not a numeric identifier.

bash

# Example mod_security rule blocking SQLi patterns on the vulnerable endpoint
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /admin/edit_judge.php" \
  "chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1009525,msg:'Possible SQLi targeting CVE-2026-9525'"
SecRule ARGS:judge_id "!@rx ^[0-9]+$" "t:none"