CVE-2025-5980 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the code-projects Restaurant Order System, specifically within the /order.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the 'tabidNoti' parameter, which is susceptible to malicious input manipulation. An attacker can remotely exploit this flaw without any authentication or user interaction, injecting crafted SQL commands that the backend database executes. This can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, data modification, or even complete compromise of the underlying database. The CVSS 4.0 score of 6.9 (medium severity) reflects the ease of exploitation (network accessible, no privileges or user interaction required) but with limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (each rated low). The vulnerability does not require authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker aware of the flaw. Although no public exploits are currently known in the wild, the public disclosure of the vulnerability increases the risk of exploitation. The lack of available patches or mitigations from the vendor further exacerbates the threat. Given that the Restaurant Order System is likely used in hospitality environments to manage orders, exploitation could disrupt business operations, expose sensitive customer and transaction data, and undermine trust in the service provider. The vulnerability’s presence in a web-facing component (/order.php) increases exposure to automated scanning and exploitation attempts.

For European organizations, especially those in the hospitality and restaurant sectors using the affected Restaurant Order System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of customer data, including personal and payment information, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations, resulting in legal and financial penalties. Operational disruption from database manipulation or denial of service could impact order processing and customer service, leading to revenue loss and reputational damage. The medium CVSS score suggests limited but non-negligible impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, but the ease of remote exploitation without authentication amplifies the threat. Organizations relying on this system should consider the potential for attackers to pivot from this vulnerability to deeper network compromise, especially if the database contains sensitive business intelligence or credentials. The lack of patches increases the urgency for mitigation. Additionally, public disclosure may attract opportunistic attackers targeting European hospitality businesses, which are often high-profile and data-rich targets.

Immediate mitigation steps include implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious SQL injection payloads targeting the 'tabidNoti' parameter. Organizations should conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied data, particularly parameters used in SQL queries. If possible, switch to parameterized queries or prepared statements to eliminate SQL injection risks. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate the database server from direct internet exposure. Monitoring and logging of database queries and web server access should be enhanced to detect anomalous activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Since no official patch is available, organizations should consider temporary workarounds such as disabling or restricting access to the vulnerable /order.php endpoint or migrating to alternative order management solutions. Regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on injection flaws are recommended. Finally, organizations must ensure compliance with data protection regulations by preparing incident response plans in case of data breaches stemming from this vulnerability.