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[CVE-2025-52025] SQL Injection vulnerability in Aptsys gemscms backend

Posted Updated
By RTA
3 min read

Summary

A SQL Injection vulnerability was identified in Aptsys’ gemscms backend platform, a shared backend used by multiple F&B businesses for POS and restaurant management.
A vulnerable backend API that accepts a restaurant identifier parameter allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to inject and execute arbitrary SQL statements against the application database. This can lead to data leakage, unauthorized modification, or full database compromise.

CVE: CVE-2025-52025 (Reserved - pending public publication)
This public advisory serves as the official reference for CVE publication.
Technical exploitation details, payloads, and live data are intentionally withheld to reduce risk to end users.

Background & Discovery

The vulnerability was discovered incidentally in May 2025 during normal use of a mobile client application that communicates with the Aptsys gemscms backend.
The same backend platform is shared among multiple Aptsys-powered client deployments across the F&B sector. Independent verification confirmed a remote SQL injection condition affecting connected backend instances.

Multiple attempts to responsibly disclose the issue to the vendor were made through multiple channels between May-Nov 2025, but no remediation or formal acknowledgment was received.

Affected Product(s)

  • Vendor: Aptsys
  • Product: Aptsys gemscms POS Platform (backend) — used by multiple F&B clients
  • Component: A backend service API that retrieves service/restaurant-related data (specific function and file path withheld for security reasons)
  • Confirmed Affected: Production environment verified in May 2025
  • Versions: Unknown (likely affects multiple active backend deployments)

Vulnerability Details (Redacted)

An SQL Injection vulnerability exists in a service data retrieval API of the Aptsys gemscms backend.
User-supplied input for a restaurant identifier parameter is incorporated into an SQL query without adequate sanitization or use of parameterized queries. A remote attacker can submit crafted input to alter SQL semantics, resulting in execution of arbitrary SQL on the database.

This may enable attackers to:

  • Extract sensitive database contents (user records, credentials, payment details)
  • Modify or delete data in the database
  • Escalate to administrative control over the database server

Note: Exact parameter names, SQL payload examples, and PoC requests are intentionally omitted from this public advisory to avoid enabling malicious actors.

Exploitation (High-Level)

  • Attack vector: Remote (HTTP request)
  • Authentication required: None
  • Complexity: Low

An attacker can submit malicious input through the vulnerable parameter to manipulate the underlying SQL query and achieve unauthorized read/write behavior in the database.

Impact

  • Unauthenticated execution of arbitrary SQL statements against the application database
  • Unauthorized data disclosure, modification, or deletion
  • Potential full database compromise and subsequent backend takeover
  • Increased risk due to the multi-tenant nature of the backend (affecting multiple client deployments)

Mitigation & Recommendations

For Operators / Administrators

  1. Restrict public access to backend endpoints that accept user-controlled parameters (move behind VPN or internal networks).
  2. Monitor and log suspicious requests containing SQL control characters or unusual payload lengths.
  3. Deploy WAF rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns.
  4. Back up databases regularly and verify integrity of backups.
  5. Rotate database credentials and apply least-privilege database accounts.
  6. Perform full security review of any endpoints accepting user input.

For Developers / Vendor

  • Use parameterized queries / prepared statements or ORM query builders instead of directly concatenating user input into SQL.
  • Implement strict input validation and whitelisting for all parameters.
  • Conduct code audits of server-side components handling query construction (especially modules that process identifiers).
  • Add centralized logging and alerts for anomalous database queries.
  • Release and distribute patched backend versions to customers promptly.

Timeline

  • May 2025: Vulnerability discovered incidentally during normal use of a client mobile application.
  • May–Nov 2025: Multiple disclosure attempts made to Aptsys; no remediation confirmed.
  • Jul 2025: CVE-2025-52025 reserved.
  • Nov 2025: Public disclosure published (this advisory).

Status

  • Vendor response: No acknowledgement or fix confirmed as of November 2025.
  • CVE status: RESERVED → Pending PUBLIC upon MITRE confirmation.
  • Technical details: Redacted; available under NDA/PGP for vendor or CERT coordination.

Withheld Information

To reduce risk of exploitation, the following are intentionally omitted from this public advisory:

  • Concrete SQL payloads or request samples
  • Live or production server URLs
  • Proof-of-concept scripts or automation details
  • Exact function names, file paths, or internal schema details

Operators of Aptsys gemscms deployments should treat this as a high-severity issue and apply mitigations immediately. Vendors and CERT teams may contact the reporter for full technical details.

References

Disclosure
cve sql-injection vulnerability api database security
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