CVE-2025-11667 identifies a SQL injection vulnerability in version 1.0 of the code-projects Automated Voting System, specifically within the /admin/add_candidate_modal.php script. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation on the 'firstname' parameter, which is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or use of prepared statements. This allows a remote attacker with low privileges to inject arbitrary SQL commands, potentially manipulating the backend database. The attack vector is network accessible (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent (VC:L, VI:L, VA:L), as attackers could read or alter voting data or disrupt voting processes. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation, although no active exploitation has been reported. The vulnerability does not require special conditions such as social engineering or elevated privileges, making it accessible to a broader attacker base. The lack of patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate mitigation efforts. This vulnerability is critical in the context of electoral systems where data integrity and confidentiality are paramount.

For European organizations using the code-projects Automated Voting System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the integrity and confidentiality of electoral data. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate candidate information, alter voting results, or extract sensitive voter data, undermining trust in electoral processes. Disruption or data tampering could lead to political instability or legal challenges. The medium severity rating reflects partial but meaningful impact on core voting system functions. Given the critical nature of election infrastructure in Europe, even limited exploitation could have outsized consequences. Organizations involved in local or national elections, political polling, or any democratic process relying on this software are particularly vulnerable. The public availability of exploit code increases the urgency for mitigation to prevent potential attacks from opportunistic or state-sponsored actors targeting European electoral integrity.

Immediate mitigation should focus on applying any available patches from the vendor; if none exist, organizations must implement strict input validation and sanitization on the 'firstname' parameter and any other user inputs. Employ parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. Conduct thorough code reviews of the affected modules to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Restrict access to the /admin/add_candidate_modal.php endpoint to trusted administrators and implement network-level controls such as IP whitelisting or VPN access. Monitor logs for suspicious SQL errors or unusual database queries indicative of injection attempts. Regularly audit database integrity and maintain backups to enable recovery from potential data tampering. Educate administrators on the risks and signs of SQL injection attacks. Finally, consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block SQL injection payloads targeting this system.