Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Beware! Critical SQL Injection Flaw Discovered in PHPGurukul Small CRM 3.0 (CVE-2024-44644)

Overview

CVE-2024-44644 identifies a SQL Injection vulnerability found in PHPGurukul Small CRM version 3.0. This vulnerability exists within the manage-tickets.php file and can be exploited through the frm_id and aremark parameters. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries, potentially leading to data breaches, modification, or deletion. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the vulnerability, its potential impact, and steps for mitigation.

Technical Details

The vulnerability stems from the lack of proper sanitization and validation of user-supplied input to the frm_id and aremark parameters within the manage-tickets.php script. An attacker can inject malicious SQL code into these parameters, which is then executed by the application’s database without proper escaping or filtering. This allows the attacker to bypass security measures and directly interact with the database.

For example, an attacker could modify the frm_id parameter with a payload like:

' OR '1'='1

This payload, when incorporated into a SQL query, could result in the retrieval of all data from the affected table.

CVSS Analysis

  • CVE ID: CVE-2024-44644
  • Severity: MEDIUM
  • CVSS Score: 6.5

A CVSS score of 6.5 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. While the exploit requires some level of access or knowledge to leverage, the potential impact on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system is significant enough to warrant immediate attention.

Possible Impact

The exploitation of this SQL Injection vulnerability can have severe consequences:

  • Data Breach: Attackers can access sensitive customer data, including personal information, contact details, and financial records.
  • Data Modification: Attackers can modify existing data, leading to incorrect information, corrupted records, and potential business disruption.
  • Data Deletion: Attackers can delete critical data, causing irreparable damage to the CRM system and its functionality.
  • Privilege Escalation: In some cases, attackers can escalate their privileges within the database, gaining administrative control over the entire system.
  • System Compromise: Attackers can potentially leverage the database vulnerability to gain access to the underlying operating system, leading to complete system compromise.

Mitigation or Patch Steps

To address this SQL Injection vulnerability, the following mitigation steps are recommended:

  1. Apply the Patch (if available): Check the official PHPGurukul website for any available patches or updates that address CVE-2024-44644. Apply the patch immediately.
  2. Input Validation: Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied input, especially for the frm_id and aremark parameters in manage-tickets.php. Use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection.
  3. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts. Configure the WAF with rules specific to SQL injection attacks.
  4. Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the database user account used by the CRM application has the minimum necessary privileges to perform its required tasks. Avoid granting excessive permissions.
  5. Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the CRM system.

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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