CVE-2025-14571 identifies a SQL injection vulnerability in the Advanced Library Management System (ALMS) version 1.0 developed by projectworlds. The vulnerability resides in the /borrow_book.php script, where the roll_number parameter is improperly sanitized, allowing an attacker to inject malicious SQL code. This injection can be performed remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction, making it accessible to any attacker with network access to the system. Exploiting this vulnerability could enable attackers to read, modify, or delete sensitive data stored in the backend database, potentially compromising user records, borrowing history, or other library data. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector, low complexity, and no privileges or user interaction needed, but limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No patches or fixes have been published yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild, but public disclosure increases the risk of future exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the need for secure coding practices such as input validation and use of parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Organizations using ALMS 1.0 should urgently review and remediate this issue to protect their data assets.

For European organizations, particularly educational institutions, public libraries, and research centers using projectworlds Advanced Library Management System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data such as user identities, borrowing records, and potentially personal information. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized data disclosure, data tampering, or denial of service if database integrity is compromised. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the attack, threat actors could exploit this vulnerability to gain footholds within institutional networks or to exfiltrate data without detection. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR for data breaches, and operational disruptions. The impact is somewhat limited by the scope of affected systems, but institutions relying heavily on this software for critical library functions may experience service interruptions. Additionally, the lack of available patches increases the window of exposure, necessitating immediate compensating controls.

1. Immediately implement input validation and sanitization on the roll_number parameter in /borrow_book.php to reject or properly escape malicious SQL characters. 2. Refactor the code to use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. 3. Restrict database user permissions to the minimum necessary, limiting the potential damage from a successful injection. 4. Monitor application logs and database queries for unusual or suspicious activity indicative of injection attempts. 5. If possible, isolate the ALMS system within a segmented network zone to limit exposure. 6. Engage with the vendor or development community to obtain or develop a security patch. 7. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on injection vulnerabilities. 8. Educate system administrators and developers on secure coding practices to prevent similar issues. 9. Prepare incident response plans to quickly address potential exploitation events. 10. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with rules tailored to detect and block SQL injection attempts targeting this application.