CVE-2025-11514 identifies a SQL injection vulnerability in the code-projects Online Complaint Site version 1.0, specifically within the /cms/users/index.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization of the 'Username' parameter, allowing an attacker to inject malicious SQL code remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction. This can lead to unauthorized access to the backend database, enabling attackers to read, modify, or delete sensitive data, potentially compromising user information and system integrity. The CVSS 4.0 score of 5.3 (medium severity) reflects the vulnerability's moderate impact and ease of exploitation, with low complexity and no privileges or user interaction needed. Although no active exploits have been reported in the wild, the availability of a public exploit increases the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability does not require special conditions such as user authentication or interaction, making it accessible to a wide range of attackers. The affected product is used for managing online complaints, which may contain sensitive personal or organizational data, increasing the potential impact of a successful attack. The lack of available patches necessitates immediate mitigation efforts by organizations using this software. The vulnerability highlights the critical need for secure coding practices, especially input validation and the use of parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of complaint management systems. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive complaint data, manipulation or deletion of records, and potential disruption of complaint handling services. This could damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and result in financial penalties. Public sector entities and private organizations relying on the code-projects Online Complaint Site for citizen or customer feedback are particularly vulnerable. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the attack surface, potentially allowing widespread exploitation if the software is widely deployed. Additionally, the presence of a public exploit could accelerate attack attempts, increasing urgency for mitigation. The impact is amplified in countries with strict data protection laws and high reliance on digital complaint platforms, where data breaches could have severe legal and operational consequences.

Organizations should immediately conduct a thorough code review of the /cms/users/index.php file focusing on the 'Username' parameter to identify and remediate the SQL injection flaw. Implement parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure user inputs are safely handled. Apply strict input validation and sanitization to reject malicious input patterns. If available, upgrade to a patched version of the software; if not, consider temporary workarounds such as web application firewalls (WAFs) with SQL injection detection rules to block exploit attempts. Monitor database logs and application behavior for unusual queries or access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit potential damage. Conduct security awareness training for developers to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases. Finally, maintain an incident response plan to quickly address any detected exploitation attempts.