CVE-2025-3119
📋 TL;DR
This is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Online Tutor Portal 1.0 that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the ID parameter in the /tutor/courses/manage_course.php file. Any organization running this software with internet exposure is affected. Successful exploitation could lead to data theft, modification, or deletion.
💻 Affected Systems
- SourceCodester Online Tutor Portal
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including sensitive student/tutor data, credential theft, remote code execution via database functions, and potential system takeover.
Likely Case
Data exfiltration of user information, course data, and potentially authentication credentials stored in the database.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and database permissions, potentially only allowing data viewing without modification.
🎯 Exploit Status
The exploit is publicly available on GitHub and requires minimal technical skill to execute. No authentication is required to trigger the vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: https://www.sourcecodester.com/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Check vendor website for security updates. 2. If no patch available, implement workarounds immediately. 3. Consider replacing with alternative software if vendor is unresponsive.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules
allImplement WAF rules to block SQL injection patterns targeting the manage_course.php file and ID parameter.
# Example ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS:id "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQLi attempt detected'"
# Example naxsi rule: MainRule "str:manage_course.php" "msg:block tutor portal exploit" "mz:URL" "s:$SQL:4" "id:1001";
Input Validation Filter
linuxAdd input validation to sanitize the ID parameter before processing in manage_course.php.
<?php
// Add to manage_course.php before SQL query
$id = filter_var($_GET['ID'], FILTER_VALIDATE_INT);
if ($id === false) {
die('Invalid ID parameter');
}
?>
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate the application behind a reverse proxy with strict input validation
- Implement network segmentation to restrict database access from the application server
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test the /tutor/courses/manage_course.php endpoint with SQL injection payloads in the ID parameter (e.g., ID=1' OR '1'='1). Monitor for database errors or unexpected responses.Check Version:
Check the software version in the admin panel or look for version indicators in the source code/README files.Verify Fix Applied:
After implementing fixes, attempt the same SQL injection tests and verify they are blocked or sanitized. Check that valid numeric IDs still work correctly.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL error messages in web server logs
- Multiple requests to manage_course.php with suspicious ID parameters
- Database query errors containing SQL syntax
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to /tutor/courses/manage_course.php with SQL keywords in parameters
- Unusual database traffic patterns from the web server
SIEM Query:
source="web_server.log" AND uri="/tutor/courses/manage_course.php" AND (param="ID" AND value MATCHES "[';]|UNION|SELECT|INSERT|UPDATE|DELETE|DROP|OR.*=")