CVE-2025-7128 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the Campcodes Payroll Management System. The vulnerability exists in the /ajax.php endpoint, specifically when handling the 'action=calculate_payroll' request parameter. The issue arises due to improper sanitization or validation of the 'ID' argument, which allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code remotely without any authentication or user interaction. This flaw enables attackers to manipulate backend database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or even complete compromise of the payroll database. Given that payroll systems contain sensitive employee financial and personal data, exploitation could result in significant confidentiality breaches and data integrity violations. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, but limited scope and impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation by opportunistic attackers. The absence of available patches or mitigation from the vendor further exacerbates the risk for organizations using this specific version of the Campcodes Payroll Management System.

For European organizations, the exploitation of this vulnerability could have severe consequences. Payroll systems hold critical employee data including salaries, tax information, social security numbers, and bank details. Unauthorized access or manipulation could lead to financial fraud, identity theft, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and reputational damage. The integrity of payroll calculations could be compromised, causing incorrect payments or financial discrepancies. Additionally, attackers could leverage this foothold to pivot within the network, escalating privileges or deploying ransomware. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit, organizations with exposed or poorly segmented payroll systems are at high risk. The impact is particularly significant for medium to large enterprises with complex payroll operations and strict compliance requirements under European data protection laws.

Immediate mitigation steps include isolating the affected payroll system from public networks and restricting access to trusted internal IPs only. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls (WAFs) should be configured to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the /ajax.php?action=calculate_payroll endpoint. Organizations should conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all parameters, especially the 'ID' argument, to prevent injection attacks. Since no official patch is currently available, consider deploying virtual patching via WAF rules or disabling the vulnerable functionality if feasible. Regularly monitor logs for suspicious database queries or unusual access patterns. It is critical to engage with the vendor for updates or patches and plan for an upgrade to a secure version once released. Additionally, conduct internal audits to ensure sensitive payroll data is encrypted at rest and in transit, and implement strict access controls and segmentation to limit lateral movement in case of compromise.