Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Dawa Pharma 1.0 Hit by Critical SQL Injection Flaw: CVE-2023-53734 Exposes Sensitive Data

Overview

CVE-2023-53734 details a critical SQL injection vulnerability found in Dawa Pharma 1.0. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries against the application’s database server. Successful exploitation can lead to the disclosure of sensitive information, including patient data, financial records, and potentially even administrative credentials. This poses a significant risk to organizations using the affected software.

Technical Details

The vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input, specifically within the ’email’ parameter. The application fails to properly sanitize or validate this input before incorporating it into SQL queries. As a result, an attacker can inject malicious SQL code through this parameter, allowing them to bypass authentication and directly interact with the database.

According to reports, the vulnerability can be exploited by sending a crafted HTTP request containing a malicious SQL payload within the email parameter. Further technical details and proof-of-concept exploits are available through the references provided below.

CVSS Analysis

Currently, the CVSS score for CVE-2023-53734 is marked as N/A. This often indicates that the vulnerability is still being evaluated or that a formal CVSS score has not yet been assigned. However, considering the potential for unauthenticated remote code execution and sensitive data exposure, it is likely to be classified as a High or Critical severity vulnerability once a CVSS score is finalized.

Possible Impact

The successful exploitation of CVE-2023-53734 can have severe consequences:

  • Data Breach: Attackers can gain access to sensitive patient information, financial records, and other confidential data stored in the database.
  • Account Takeover: Attackers might be able to obtain administrative credentials, allowing them to take full control of the Dawa Pharma application and associated systems.
  • System Compromise: In some cases, successful SQL injection attacks can be leveraged to gain access to the underlying operating system and compromise the entire server.
  • Reputational Damage: A data breach or system compromise can severely damage an organization’s reputation and erode customer trust.
  • Legal and Regulatory Penalties: Organizations may face legal and regulatory penalties for failing to protect sensitive data.

Mitigation or Patch Steps

Unfortunately, the provided information does not include details of a specific patch or updated version of Dawa Pharma 1.0. If you are using this software, the following steps are highly recommended:

  • Contact the Vendor: Immediately contact Mayurik (the vendor of Dawa Pharma) to inquire about a patch or updated version that addresses this vulnerability.
  • Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF with SQL injection protection rules to filter out malicious requests targeting the application. This is a temporary measure and should not be considered a complete solution.
  • Input Validation and Sanitization: If you have access to the source code, implement robust input validation and sanitization techniques to prevent SQL injection attacks. Specifically, ensure all user-supplied input, especially the ’email’ parameter, is properly validated and escaped before being used in SQL queries.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the database user account used by the application has only the necessary privileges to perform its functions. Avoid granting it unnecessary administrative privileges.
  • Monitor System Logs: Continuously monitor system logs for suspicious activity that may indicate an attempted SQL injection attack.
  • Consider Alternatives: If a patch is not available and mitigation proves difficult, consider migrating to a more secure pharmacy billing software solution.

References

Cybersecurity specialist and founder of Gowri Shankar Infosec - a professional blog dedicated to sharing actionable insights on cybersecurity, data protection, server administration, and compliance frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

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