CVE-2025-50494 is a security vulnerability identified in the PHPGurukul Car Washing Management System version 1.0, specifically within the /doctor/change-password.php component. The vulnerability arises due to improper session invalidation after a password change operation. When a user changes their password, the system fails to properly invalidate or regenerate the session tokens associated with the user’s session. This flaw allows an attacker who has access to a valid session identifier prior to the password change to continue using that session, effectively hijacking the user’s session. Session hijacking can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive user data and system functionalities, bypassing authentication controls. The vulnerability is classified as an improper session management issue, which is a common web application security problem. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date, the vulnerability poses a significant risk because session hijacking can be leveraged to escalate privileges, access personal or confidential information, and perform unauthorized actions within the application. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability has not yet been fully assessed for severity, but the nature of session hijacking vulnerabilities typically suggests a high risk if exploited. The vulnerability affects version 1.0 of the PHPGurukul Car Washing Management System, a niche application likely used by small to medium enterprises managing car wash operations. The vulnerability’s technical root cause is the failure to properly terminate or regenerate session tokens upon critical security events such as password changes, which is a best practice to prevent session fixation and hijacking attacks.

For European organizations using the PHPGurukul Car Washing Management System, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive operational data. Attackers exploiting this flaw could impersonate legitimate users, potentially accessing personal customer information, transaction records, and administrative functions. This could result in data breaches violating GDPR requirements, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, unauthorized access could disrupt business operations, cause financial losses, and erode customer trust. Given that the affected system manages operational workflows, session hijacking could also enable attackers to manipulate scheduling, billing, or service records, impacting service delivery. Although the application is specialized, any European company relying on it for customer management or operational control is at risk. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for proactive mitigation, but the potential impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability remains significant if exploited.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately apply patches or updates from the vendor once available. If no patch exists, consider upgrading to a newer, secure version or alternative software. 2) Modify the application code to ensure that session tokens are invalidated and regenerated upon password changes or other critical security events. This includes destroying the old session and issuing a new session identifier to prevent session fixation. 3) Enforce secure session management practices such as setting the HttpOnly and Secure flags on cookies, using short session timeouts, and implementing multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of session hijacking. 4) Conduct thorough security testing, including session management assessments and penetration testing focused on authentication workflows. 5) Monitor logs for unusual session activity or multiple concurrent sessions from different IP addresses for the same user. 6) Educate users about the importance of logging out after sessions and recognizing suspicious activity. 7) Network-level controls such as web application firewalls (WAFs) can help detect and block session hijacking attempts. These recommendations go beyond generic advice by focusing on session lifecycle management and operational controls specific to the vulnerability context.