CVE-2025-5979 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the code-projects School Fees Payment System, specifically within the /branch.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the 'ID' parameter, which an attacker can manipulate to inject malicious SQL code. This flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the backend database without requiring authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), and no privileges or user interaction needed (PR:N, UI:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is limited (VC:L, VI:L, VA:L), indicating partial but not complete compromise of data or system functions. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9, categorized as medium severity. Although no public exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability details have been disclosed publicly, increasing the risk of exploitation. The affected system is a niche payment solution used primarily in educational institutions to manage school fee payments, which likely stores sensitive financial and personal data of students and parents. The SQL Injection could allow attackers to extract sensitive data, modify payment records, or disrupt payment processing, potentially leading to financial fraud or denial of service in school fee management operations.

For European organizations, particularly educational institutions using the code-projects School Fees Payment System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of student financial data. Attackers exploiting this flaw could access or alter payment records, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to exposure of personal data. Disruption of fee payment processing could also affect school operations and trust with parents and stakeholders. Given the remote exploitability without authentication, attackers could target multiple institutions en masse. The limited availability impact suggests that while denial of service is possible, it is not the primary concern. However, the partial compromise of data integrity and confidentiality is critical in the context of financial transactions and personal information protection.

1. Immediate patching or upgrading to a fixed version of the School Fees Payment System should be prioritized once available from the vendor. 2. In the absence of a patch, implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically designed to detect and block SQL Injection attempts targeting the 'ID' parameter in /branch.php. 3. Conduct thorough input validation and parameterized queries or prepared statements in the application code to prevent injection. 4. Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of any injection attack. 5. Monitor application logs and database queries for unusual activity indicative of SQL Injection attempts. 6. Educate IT staff in affected institutions on the vulnerability and encourage immediate risk assessment and mitigation. 7. Consider network segmentation to isolate the payment system from broader institutional networks to reduce lateral movement risk. 8. Regularly back up payment data securely to enable recovery in case of data tampering or loss.