CVE-2025-3824 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the SourceCodester Web-based Pharmacy Product Management System. The vulnerability arises from improper input validation and sanitization in the add-product.php file, specifically involving the parameters txtprice and txtproduct_name. An attacker can remotely inject malicious scripts by manipulating these parameters, which are likely used to input product price and product name data. When the application fails to properly encode or sanitize these inputs before rendering them in the web interface, it allows the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser. This type of vulnerability can be exploited without authentication and does not require user interaction beyond visiting a crafted URL or viewing a compromised page. Although the vulnerability is classified as 'problematic' and the severity is medium, the public disclosure of the exploit increases the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the product, and no official patches or mitigations have been published at this time. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited active exploitation so far, but the availability of proof-of-concept code could facilitate attacks targeting organizations using this system. The vulnerability falls under the category of code injection and cross-site scripting, which can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of user sessions and data within the affected web application environment.

For European organizations using the SourceCodester Web-based Pharmacy Product Management System, this XSS vulnerability poses several risks. Primarily, it can lead to session hijacking, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users, including administrators, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive pharmacy product data and management functions. This could result in data leakage of proprietary or customer information, manipulation of product pricing or inventory data, and disruption of pharmacy operations. Additionally, attackers could use the vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads such as malware or ransomware through the web interface, impacting system availability and business continuity. Given the critical nature of pharmacy management systems in healthcare supply chains, exploitation could indirectly affect patient safety and regulatory compliance. The remote exploitability and lack of authentication requirements increase the attack surface, especially for organizations with externally accessible management portals. The impact is heightened in environments where this system integrates with other healthcare or enterprise systems, potentially allowing lateral movement or broader compromise.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should immediately implement input validation and output encoding controls on the affected parameters (txtprice and txtproduct_name) within add-product.php. Specifically, all user-supplied input should be sanitized to remove or encode HTML special characters to prevent script injection. Employing a web application firewall (WAF) with rules targeting common XSS attack patterns can provide an additional layer of defense. Organizations should restrict access to the web-based management system to trusted networks or VPNs to reduce exposure. Monitoring web server logs for suspicious parameter values and unusual request patterns can help detect attempted exploitation. Since no official patch is currently available, organizations should consider isolating or temporarily disabling the vulnerable functionality if feasible. Additionally, educating users about the risks of clicking on untrusted links and implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can mitigate the impact of successful XSS attacks. Finally, organizations should maintain an inventory of affected systems and plan for timely updates once a vendor patch is released.