CVE-2025-4938 is a SQL Injection vulnerability identified in version 1.3 of the PHPGurukul Employee Record Management System, specifically within the /registererms.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the 'Email' parameter, which is directly used in SQL queries. This flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to inject malicious SQL code by manipulating the Email argument, potentially enabling unauthorized access to or modification of the underlying database. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without user interaction and requires low attack complexity, but does require some level of privileges (PR:L) according to the CVSS vector, indicating that the attacker might need limited privileges to exploit it. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.3, categorized as medium severity, reflecting limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low scope and no user interaction required. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the public disclosure of the vulnerability increases the risk of exploitation. The lack of available patches or mitigations at the time of publication further elevates the urgency for affected organizations to address this issue. SQL Injection vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized data access, data corruption, or even full system compromise depending on the database permissions and application architecture. Given the nature of the affected system—an employee record management platform—sensitive personal and organizational data could be at risk if exploited.

For European organizations using PHPGurukul Employee Record Management System 1.3, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of employee data. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of personal employee information, including contact details, employment history, and potentially sensitive HR data. This could result in regulatory non-compliance, particularly under GDPR, leading to legal penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, attackers could manipulate or corrupt employee records, disrupting HR operations and causing operational downtime. Since the vulnerability is remotely exploitable without user interaction, attackers could automate attacks at scale, increasing the threat level. The medium CVSS score suggests that while the impact is moderate, the potential for data leakage or unauthorized modification remains a serious concern. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate it, especially as public disclosure often leads to rapid development of exploit code. Organizations relying on this system for critical HR functions should consider this vulnerability a priority for remediation to avoid data breaches and operational disruptions.

1. Immediate mitigation should involve restricting access to the /registererms.php endpoint through network-level controls such as firewalls or web application firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the Email parameter. 2. Implement input validation and parameterized queries or prepared statements in the application code to sanitize the Email input and prevent injection attacks. 3. If source code modification is not immediately feasible, consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect and block malicious SQL queries dynamically. 4. Conduct a thorough audit of database permissions to ensure the application operates with the least privilege necessary, limiting the potential damage from a successful injection. 5. Monitor application logs and network traffic for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts, such as anomalous SQL queries or repeated access to the vulnerable endpoint. 6. Engage with PHPGurukul or the software vendor to obtain patches or updated versions that address this vulnerability, and plan for timely deployment. 7. Educate IT and security teams about this specific vulnerability to ensure rapid detection and response to potential incidents. 8. As a longer-term measure, consider migrating to more secure and actively maintained employee management solutions to reduce exposure to similar vulnerabilities.