Overview
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has identified a critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-52833, that exists within the designthemes Learning Management System (LMS). This vulnerability arises due to the improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command, also known as SQL Injection. Entities using versions up to 9.1 of the LMS software are potentially at risk. This vulnerability is of major concern as it opens the door to potential system compromises and data leakages, affecting the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-52833
Severity: Critical (9.3 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
designthemes LMS | Up to version 9.1
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from the software’s failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input in SQL queries. An attacker can exploit this flaw by injecting malicious SQL code into the application. If successfully executed, the attacker can manipulate SQL queries to bypass authentication, retrieve, modify, or delete data, and potentially execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system.
Conceptual Example Code
The following is a conceptual example of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability:
POST /lms/login HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
username=admin';DROP TABLE users;--&password=adminIn this example, the attacker sends a request to the LMS login endpoint, injecting SQL commands within the username parameter. The injected command, `DROP TABLE users`, would delete the users table from the database if not properly handled.
Mitigation Guidance
The most effective way to mitigate this vulnerability is by applying the vendor-supplied patch. Organizations that are unable to immediately patch their systems can use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation measure. These systems can help detect and block SQL injection attacks, protecting the system until the patch can be applied. In addition, developers should implement robust input validation and sanitation measures as a part of secure coding practices to prevent such vulnerabilities.