CVE-2025-7142 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the SourceCodester Best Salon Management System, specifically within the /panel/search-appointment.php file. This vulnerability arises from improper input validation or sanitization in an unknown functionality of the search-appointment.php script, allowing an attacker to inject malicious scripts into the web application. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication but requires user interaction, such as a victim clicking a crafted link or visiting a malicious page that triggers the injected script. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:H indicates high privileges required, but this conflicts with the description; the vector may have an inconsistency), and user interaction is required (UI:P). The impact on confidentiality is none, integrity is low, and availability is none, reflecting the typical consequences of XSS attacks where attackers can execute scripts in the context of the victim’s browser, potentially stealing session cookies, defacing content, or performing actions on behalf of the user. Although the exploit has been publicly disclosed, there are no known exploits in the wild at this time. The vulnerability is classified as medium severity with a CVSS score of 4.8. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may not yet be available or publicly released. XSS vulnerabilities like this are common in web applications that do not properly sanitize user input, and they pose risks primarily to users interacting with the vulnerable application interface.

For European organizations using the SourceCodester Best Salon Management System version 1.0, this vulnerability could lead to session hijacking, defacement, or phishing attacks targeting their customers or employees. Since the system is designed for salon management, it likely handles appointment scheduling and possibly stores personal data of clients, such as names and contact details. Exploitation of this XSS vulnerability could allow attackers to steal session tokens or inject malicious scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, thereby compromising user trust and potentially violating data protection regulations like GDPR. The impact on business operations may include reputational damage, loss of customer confidence, and potential regulatory fines if personal data is compromised. However, the vulnerability does not directly affect system availability or integrity at a high level, limiting the scope of damage to client-side impacts and indirect organizational harm.

Organizations should immediately review and sanitize all user inputs in the /panel/search-appointment.php functionality to prevent injection of malicious scripts. Implementing robust input validation and output encoding techniques is critical. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. Since no official patch is currently linked, organizations should consider applying virtual patching via web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this endpoint. Additionally, educating users about the risks of clicking suspicious links and monitoring web logs for unusual activity can help detect exploitation attempts. Regularly updating the application to newer, patched versions once available is essential. Finally, conduct security testing and code reviews focusing on input handling to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application.