CVE-2025-7142 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in SourceCodester Best Salon Management System version 1.0, specifically within the /panel/search-appointment.php file. This vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into the web application, which are then executed in the context of a victim's browser. The vulnerability is classified as problematic with a CVSS 4.8 (medium) score, indicating a moderate risk. The attack vector is network-based (remote), requiring no privileges but does require user interaction, such as clicking a crafted link or visiting a malicious page. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability significantly but can lead to limited integrity issues, such as session hijacking, defacement, or phishing attacks targeting salon management system users. The vulnerability affects only version 1.0 of the product, and no official patches or fixes have been disclosed yet. Although no known exploits are currently active in the wild, the public disclosure of the exploit increases the risk of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability does not require authentication but does require user interaction, which somewhat limits the scope of exploitation. The lack of scope change and absence of privilege escalation reduces the overall severity but still poses a risk to users and administrators of the affected system.

For European organizations using the SourceCodester Best Salon Management System 1.0, this vulnerability can lead to targeted attacks against salon management staff and customers. Potential impacts include theft of session tokens, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access sensitive appointment and customer data. This could result in privacy violations under GDPR, reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Additionally, attackers could use the vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads or phishing content, increasing the risk of broader compromise within the organization. Since the system manages appointments and potentially sensitive customer information, exploitation could disrupt business operations and erode customer trust. The medium severity rating suggests that while the vulnerability is not critical, it still warrants timely remediation to prevent exploitation, especially given the public availability of the exploit details.

Organizations should immediately assess their use of SourceCodester Best Salon Management System version 1.0 and consider upgrading to a patched version once available. In the absence of an official patch, implement input validation and output encoding on the /panel/search-appointment.php endpoint to sanitize user-supplied input and prevent script injection. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. Additionally, restrict access to the affected panel to trusted IP addresses or VPN users to reduce exposure. Conduct user awareness training to mitigate risks from phishing attempts leveraging this vulnerability. Regularly monitor web server logs for suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable endpoint. Finally, consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block XSS attack patterns targeting this specific vulnerability.