CVE-2025-14229 identifies a CSV Injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Inventory Management System version 1.0, specifically within the SVC Report Export component. CSV Injection, also known as Formula Injection, occurs when untrusted input is embedded into CSV files without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to insert malicious spreadsheet formulas. When a victim opens the CSV file in applications like Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, these formulas can execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or further malware deployment. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction, as the system exports reports that may contain attacker-controlled data. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication required (AT:N), but requires high privileges (PR:H), no user interaction (UI:N), and low impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (VC:L, VI:L, VA:L). This suggests that while exploitation is feasible remotely, the attacker needs elevated privileges on the system to inject malicious data into the reports. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed but no active exploits are known, increasing the urgency for remediation. The lack of patches or vendor advisories means organizations must implement manual mitigations. The threat primarily affects organizations relying on SourceCodester Inventory Management System 1.0 for report generation, where CSV exports are used for data sharing or analysis. Attackers could leverage this to execute malicious code on endpoints of users opening the CSV files, potentially leading to broader compromise or data leakage.

For European organizations, the CSV Injection vulnerability poses a risk of indirect compromise through trusted report files. If attackers can inject malicious formulas into exported CSV reports, users opening these files in spreadsheet applications may inadvertently execute harmful code. This can lead to data theft, unauthorized system access, or lateral movement within networks. The impact is particularly concerning for organizations handling sensitive inventory or supply chain data, as manipulation or exposure of such data can disrupt operations and damage reputations. Since exploitation requires elevated privileges on the source system, insider threats or compromised accounts could facilitate attacks. The medium severity rating reflects moderate impact but significant risk if exploited in environments with high reliance on CSV exports. European companies in manufacturing, retail, and logistics sectors using SourceCodester’s system may face operational disruptions and compliance risks under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. The absence of known exploits currently limits immediate widespread impact, but public disclosure increases the likelihood of future attacks.

To mitigate CVE-2025-14229, organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization on all data fields that are exported to CSV files, ensuring that any leading characters that could be interpreted as formulas (such as '=', '+', '-', '@') are either escaped or prefixed with a single quote to neutralize formula execution. Since no official patches are available, manual code review and modification of the SVC Report Export function to sanitize inputs is critical. Additionally, organizations should educate users to open CSV files in text editors or spreadsheet applications with formula execution disabled when possible. Employing endpoint security controls to detect suspicious macro or formula execution can help reduce risk. Limiting elevated privileges on the inventory management system reduces the attack surface. Monitoring logs for unusual export activity and restricting report export functionality to trusted users can further reduce exposure. Finally, organizations should engage with SourceCodester for updates or patches and consider alternative inventory management solutions if remediation is delayed.