CVE-2025-13240 is a SQL injection vulnerability identified in the code-projects Student Information System version 2.0. The flaw exists in the /searchquery.php script, where the 's' parameter is improperly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL code. This vulnerability is remotely exploitable without requiring authentication or user interaction, making it highly accessible to attackers. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting the vulnerability's potential to compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying database. Exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive student data, modify records, or disrupt system operations. Although no known exploits are currently active in the wild, the public disclosure of exploit code increases the risk of imminent attacks. The vulnerability affects only version 2.0 of the product, and no official patches have been released yet. The absence of patches necessitates immediate mitigation through secure coding practices, such as using prepared statements and rigorous input validation. Monitoring database logs for anomalous queries is also recommended to detect exploitation attempts early.

For European organizations, particularly educational institutions using the code-projects Student Information System, this vulnerability poses significant risks. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive student records, violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. Data integrity could be compromised by unauthorized modifications, potentially affecting academic records and administrative processes. Availability of the system might be impacted if attackers execute destructive SQL commands or cause database corruption. The reputational damage and legal consequences from data breaches could be severe. Additionally, the ease of remote exploitation without authentication increases the attack surface, making even less sophisticated attackers a threat. Organizations with limited cybersecurity resources or delayed patch management are especially vulnerable. The public availability of exploit code further elevates the urgency for European entities to assess and mitigate this risk promptly.

1. Immediately implement input validation and sanitization on the 's' parameter in /searchquery.php to prevent injection of malicious SQL code. 2. Refactor the affected code to use parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure SQL commands are safely constructed. 3. Conduct a thorough code audit of the entire application to identify and remediate any other potential injection points. 4. Monitor database logs and application logs for unusual query patterns or errors indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of any successful injection. 6. If possible, isolate the Student Information System in a segmented network zone to reduce exposure. 7. Develop and test an incident response plan specific to data breaches involving student information. 8. Engage with the vendor or community to obtain or develop patches and apply them as soon as they become available. 9. Educate IT staff and administrators about the vulnerability and signs of exploitation to enhance detection capabilities. 10. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to block suspicious SQL injection payloads targeting the vulnerable parameter.