CVE-2024-0466: Employee Profile Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-0466 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in code-projects Employee Profile Management System version 1.0. This issue affects the processing of the file file_table.php, where the manipulation of the per_id parameter leads to SQL injection. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database without authentication, potentially leading to complete database compromise.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially extracting sensitive employee data, modifying records, or gaining unauthorized administrative access to the system.

Affected Products

• code-projects Employee Profile Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-01-12 - CVE-2024-0466 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0466

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic SQL injection flaw (CWE-89) in a PHP-based employee management application. The file_table.php script fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the per_id parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements that are then executed against the backend database with the privileges of the application's database user.

The vulnerability is particularly severe because it can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive employee personal information, modify or delete database records, and potentially escalate to full system compromise depending on the database configuration.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and lack of parameterized queries in the file_table.php file. The application directly concatenates user-supplied input from the per_id parameter into SQL queries without proper sanitization or the use of prepared statements. This failure to implement secure coding practices allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject their own SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network by sending crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable file_table.php endpoint. An attacker manipulates the per_id parameter to include SQL injection payloads. Since no authentication is required and no user interaction is needed, the attack can be automated and executed at scale against any exposed instance of this application.

The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious input containing SQL syntax that alters the query logic. Techniques such as UNION-based injection, blind SQL injection, or time-based injection can be employed to extract data or manipulate the database. For detailed technical analysis of the exploitation technique, refer to the GitHub Resource Document.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0466

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to file_table.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, or UNION keywords in the per_id parameter
• Database error messages appearing in application logs or HTTP responses indicating query syntax errors
• Unexpected database queries or access patterns in database audit logs
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the per_id parameter
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns
• Enable detailed logging on the web server and database to capture suspicious query activity
• Monitor for anomalous database query patterns that deviate from normal application behavior

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable database query logging and audit trails to track all queries executed against employee data tables
• Configure alerting for failed SQL queries that may indicate injection attempts
• Implement real-time monitoring of HTTP request parameters for suspicious payloads
• Review web server access logs regularly for patterns consistent with automated SQL injection scanning tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0466

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the Employee Profile Management System to trusted networks only
• Implement a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
• Review and audit database user privileges to ensure the application uses a least-privilege account
• Consider taking the application offline until a proper fix can be implemented

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been identified for this vulnerability at this time. Organizations using the code-projects Employee Profile Management System should consider the workarounds below or evaluate alternative solutions. Monitor the VulDB entry for updates on available fixes.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation on the per_id parameter to accept only numeric values
• Deploy prepared statements or parameterized queries in the file_table.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Use a web application firewall (WAF) to filter malicious SQL injection payloads before they reach the application
• Restrict database user permissions to minimize the impact of successful exploitation
• Consider implementing network segmentation to isolate the vulnerable application from critical systems

# Example: Restrict access to file_table.php via Apache .htaccess
<Files "file_table.php">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
</Files>