CVE-2025-13253 identifies a SQL injection vulnerability in the projectworlds Advanced Library Management System version 1.0, located in the /add_librarian.php script. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the Username parameter, which is directly incorporated into SQL queries. This flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code remotely, without requiring authentication or user interaction, enabling unauthorized access to or manipulation of the underlying database. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and partial impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (VC:L, VI:L, VA:L). Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the public disclosure of the vulnerability increases the likelihood of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive library user data, unauthorized modification of librarian accounts, or disruption of library services. The lack of available patches necessitates immediate mitigation through code remediation and security controls. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for secure coding practices such as parameterized queries and robust input validation in web applications managing sensitive data.

For European organizations, particularly public and academic libraries using the affected Advanced Library Management System, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive user and librarian data. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized data disclosure, including personal information of library patrons, or unauthorized changes to librarian accounts, potentially enabling further malicious activities. Additionally, attackers could disrupt library operations by corrupting or deleting critical data, impacting availability. The remote, unauthenticated nature of the attack vector increases the threat level, as attackers can exploit the vulnerability without insider access. This could undermine trust in public institutions and lead to regulatory consequences under GDPR due to potential data breaches. The medium CVSS score reflects moderate impact but the ease of exploitation and sensitive nature of the data involved warrant urgent mitigation efforts.

1. Immediate code review and remediation of the /add_librarian.php script to replace vulnerable SQL query construction with parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent injection. 2. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied data, especially the Username parameter, to reject malicious input patterns. 3. Conduct a comprehensive security audit of the entire Advanced Library Management System to identify and remediate any additional injection or input validation flaws. 4. Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of any successful injection attack. 5. Monitor logs for suspicious SQL errors or unusual database activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. If possible, isolate the library management system behind a web application firewall (WAF) configured to detect and block SQL injection attempts. 7. Educate system administrators and developers on secure coding practices and the importance of timely patching. 8. Engage with the vendor or community to obtain or develop official patches or updates addressing this vulnerability.