CVE-2025-12298 identifies a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Simple Food Ordering System version 1.0 developed by code-projects. The vulnerability exists in the /editcategory.php endpoint, where the pname parameter is improperly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code. This flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication, although the attack requires user interaction, such as clicking a crafted link or visiting a malicious page. The vulnerability is classified as reflected XSS, which can be leveraged to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser. Potential consequences include session hijacking, theft of cookies or credentials, redirection to malicious sites, or defacement of the web interface. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting the network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges or user interaction required for the attack initiation, but user interaction is needed to trigger the payload. No official patches have been released yet, and while no active exploitation is reported, public exploit code availability increases the risk. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the product, which is a niche food ordering system commonly used by small to medium food service businesses. The lack of output encoding or input validation on the pname parameter is the root cause. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices, especially input sanitization and output encoding in web applications handling user input.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, particularly for small and medium enterprises in the food service sector that rely on the Simple Food Ordering System. Exploitation could lead to client-side attacks such as session hijacking, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users, potentially leading to unauthorized order manipulation or data exposure. It could also facilitate phishing attacks by injecting malicious content into trusted web pages, damaging customer trust and brand reputation. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise server-side data or availability, the indirect effects on confidentiality and integrity of user sessions and data are notable. Additionally, regulatory frameworks like GDPR impose strict requirements on protecting customer data, and exploitation of this vulnerability could result in compliance violations and financial penalties. The medium severity indicates that while the threat is not critical, it should not be ignored, especially given the availability of exploit code and the remote attack vector.

To mitigate CVE-2025-12298, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Apply input validation on the pname parameter to reject or sanitize any input containing script tags or suspicious characters before processing. 2) Implement context-appropriate output encoding (e.g., HTML entity encoding) to ensure that any user-supplied data rendered in the web page cannot be interpreted as executable code. 3) Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) configured to detect and block common XSS attack patterns targeting the affected endpoint. 4) If possible, upgrade to a patched version of the Simple Food Ordering System once available or apply vendor-provided patches promptly. 5) Conduct security awareness training for staff to recognize phishing attempts that may leverage this vulnerability. 6) Regularly audit and monitor web application logs for suspicious activities related to the /editcategory.php endpoint. 7) Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice and address the root cause and exploitation vectors specific to this vulnerability.