CVE-2025-5975 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the PHPGurukul Rail Pass Management System, specifically within the /rpms/download-pass.php file. The vulnerability arises due to improper sanitization or validation of the 'searchdata' parameter, which an attacker can manipulate to inject malicious scripts. This flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the affected web application without requiring authentication. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction required (UI:P). The impact primarily affects the integrity of the client-side environment with limited impact on confidentiality and availability. The vulnerability can be leveraged to perform actions such as session hijacking, defacement, or redirecting users to malicious sites, potentially undermining user trust and the integrity of the rail pass management system.

For European organizations, especially those involved in rail transportation or ticketing services that might use or integrate PHPGurukul's Rail Pass Management System, this vulnerability poses a risk to user data integrity and trust. Exploiting this XSS flaw could lead to theft of session cookies, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and potentially access sensitive travel or personal information. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory scrutiny under GDPR due to compromised personal data, and operational disruptions if users lose confidence in the system's security. Additionally, attackers could use the vulnerability as a foothold to deliver further malware or phishing attacks targeting European customers. Although the direct impact on system availability is low, the indirect consequences such as loss of customer trust and potential legal penalties could be significant.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should immediately implement proper input validation and output encoding for the 'searchdata' parameter in the /rpms/download-pass.php script. Specifically, all user-supplied input should be sanitized to neutralize HTML and JavaScript code before rendering it in the browser. Employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can further reduce the risk by restricting the execution of unauthorized scripts. Additionally, organizations should monitor web application logs for suspicious input patterns and consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block XSS attempts targeting this parameter. Since no official patch is currently available, organizations should engage with the vendor for updates or consider temporary mitigations such as disabling the vulnerable functionality if feasible. User education about phishing risks and encouraging the use of modern browsers with built-in XSS protections can also help reduce impact.