CVE-2025-6294 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the code-projects Hostel Management System, specifically within an unspecified function in the /contact.php file. The vulnerability arises from improper sanitization or validation of the 'hostel_name' parameter, which can be manipulated by an attacker to inject malicious SQL code. This flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL queries against the backend database without requiring any user interaction or privileges. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, data modification, or even complete compromise of the database integrity and availability. Although the CVSS 4.0 score is rated at 6.9 (medium severity), the classification as critical by the vendor suggests that the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability can be significant, especially given the ease of exploitation (no authentication or user interaction needed) and the remote attack vector. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the Hostel Management System, which is a specialized software product used to manage hostel operations, including contact management. No official patches or mitigations have been published yet, and while no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the public disclosure of the exploit code increases the risk of active exploitation. The vulnerability does not involve scope or privilege escalation but has low complexity and no security controls mitigating the attack vector. The lack of user interaction and authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous for exposed web-facing instances of the application.

For European organizations using the code-projects Hostel Management System 1.0, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data stored within the system's database, such as personal information of hostel residents, staff, and operational data. Exploitation could lead to data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, or denial of service conditions impacting hostel management operations. Given that hostels often serve international travelers and may be integrated with other booking or identity management systems, a successful attack could have cascading effects on privacy compliance (e.g., GDPR) and operational continuity. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the attack vector increases the likelihood of exploitation, especially if the system is internet-facing without adequate network protections. The impact is amplified for organizations that rely heavily on this system for daily operations, as data integrity issues or service disruptions could result in financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties. Additionally, the lack of available patches means organizations must rely on immediate mitigation strategies to reduce exposure.

1. Immediate isolation of the affected Hostel Management System instances from public internet access using network segmentation or firewall rules to restrict access to trusted internal networks only. 2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically designed to detect and block SQL injection attempts targeting the 'hostel_name' parameter in /contact.php. 3. Conduct a thorough code review and apply input validation and parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions involving user-supplied input, especially the 'hostel_name' parameter. 4. Monitor logs for unusual database query patterns or repeated access attempts to /contact.php that may indicate exploitation attempts. 5. If feasible, replace or upgrade the Hostel Management System to a version that addresses this vulnerability or migrate to alternative software solutions with active security support. 6. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans are updated to handle potential exploitation scenarios. 7. Regularly back up the database and system configurations to enable recovery in case of data corruption or loss due to exploitation. 8. Engage with the vendor or community to obtain or develop patches and apply them promptly once available.