Overview
CVE-2024-44658 identifies a significant security vulnerability affecting PHPGurukul Complaint Management System version 2.0. This vulnerability is classified as a SQL Injection flaw, specifically present within the subcategory.php file. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or even complete compromise of the system.
Technical Details
The SQL Injection vulnerability resides in the subcategory.php file of PHPGurukul Complaint Management System 2.0. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input passed through the subcategory and category parameters. An attacker can inject malicious SQL code into these parameters, which is then executed by the database server. This can bypass authentication and authorization mechanisms, providing the attacker with direct access to the database.
Specifically, an attacker could craft a malicious URL, such as:
subcategory.php?subcategory=vulnerable_subcategory'&category=vulnerable_categoryWhere vulnerable_subcategory' contains the malicious SQL injection payload.
CVSS Analysis
While the provided information indicates that a CVSS score is “N/A,” the severity of a SQL Injection vulnerability is generally considered to be high. The lack of a formal CVSS score should not be interpreted as an indication of low risk. A SQL injection typically receives a CVSS score in the High to Critical range depending on the scope of the potential impact.
Factors contributing to the potential high severity include:
- Potential for complete database compromise.
- Ability to bypass authentication and authorization controls.
- Ease of exploitation for skilled attackers.
A manual risk assessment should be conducted considering these factors.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2024-44658 can have severe consequences, including:
- Data Breach: Unauthorized access to sensitive data, including user credentials, personal information, and complaint details.
- Data Manipulation: Modification or deletion of data, leading to inaccurate records and system instability.
- Privilege Escalation: Gaining administrative privileges, allowing the attacker to control the entire system.
- Denial of Service (DoS): Disruption of normal system operations, preventing legitimate users from accessing the application.
- Complete System Compromise: Taking full control of the server hosting the application.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2024-44658, the following steps should be taken:
- Apply the Patch (If Available): Check the PHPGurukul website for an official patch or updated version of the Complaint Management System that addresses this vulnerability. This is the preferred and most effective solution.
- Input Sanitization: Implement robust input validation and sanitization techniques for all user-supplied data, especially for the
subcategoryandcategoryparameters insubcategory.php. Use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. - Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities.
- Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the database user account used by the application has only the necessary privileges required for its operation. Avoid granting unnecessary administrative privileges.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in the application.
