CVE-2025-14194 is a Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the code-projects Employee Profile Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability is located in the /view_personnel.php script, where the parameters per_address, dr_school, and other_school are improperly sanitized. This allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of users viewing the affected page. The flaw can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or elevated privileges, but user interaction is necessary as the victim must visit a crafted URL or page containing the malicious payload. The vulnerability can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites, compromising confidentiality and integrity of user data. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:L), and user interaction needed (UI:P). No known exploits are currently active in the wild, but a public exploit is available, increasing the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability does not affect availability or system control, limiting its impact to client-side attacks. The lack of vendor patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate mitigation through input validation and web application firewall rules. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations managing sensitive personnel information, as it could facilitate targeted phishing or social engineering attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality and integrity of employee data managed within the code-projects Employee Profile Management System. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, unauthorized access to sensitive information, or delivery of further malware. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR requirements for protecting personal data. The medium severity and requirement for user interaction somewhat limit the threat, but the availability of a public exploit increases the likelihood of targeted attacks. Organizations in sectors with high personnel data sensitivity, such as government, healthcare, and finance, are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the remote exploitation capability means attackers can operate from outside the network perimeter, complicating defense. The absence of a patch means organizations must rely on compensating controls until an official fix is released.

1. Monitor for vendor updates and apply patches immediately once available to remediate the vulnerability at the source. 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on the affected parameters (per_address, dr_school, other_school) to neutralize malicious scripts. 3. Deploy or update Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules specifically targeting XSS attack patterns to block exploit attempts. 4. Conduct security awareness training for users to recognize and avoid suspicious links or unexpected requests that could trigger XSS payloads. 5. Review and restrict user privileges to minimize exposure, ensuring only necessary personnel have access to the Employee Profile Management System. 6. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 7. Regularly audit web application logs for unusual activity indicative of attempted XSS exploitation. 8. Consider isolating or segmenting the affected system to reduce lateral movement in case of compromise.