CVE-2024-0487: Fighting Cock Information System SQL Injection

CVE-2024-0487 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Fighting Cock Information System version 1.0. This vulnerability exists in the file /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php, where improper handling of the ref parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database operations without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to bypass authentication, extract sensitive database contents, modify or delete records, and potentially achieve full database server compromise.

Affected Products

• code-projects Fighting Cock Information System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-01-13 - CVE CVE-2024-0487 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0487

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) occurs when user-controlled input from the ref parameter is incorporated directly into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerable endpoint /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php in the administrative interface accepts the ref parameter and passes it directly to database queries, allowing attackers to manipulate the SQL statement structure.

The vulnerability is classified as an unauthenticated remote attack vector, meaning no prior authentication or user interaction is required for exploitation. Successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of database confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to implement proper input validation and parameterized queries in the /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php file. The application directly concatenates user-supplied input from the ref parameter into SQL statements, creating a classic SQL injection vulnerability. This lack of input sanitization allows attackers to break out of the intended query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests targeting the /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php endpoint with a specially crafted ref parameter containing SQL injection payloads. The attack requires no authentication and no user interaction, making it trivially exploitable.

Common attack techniques include UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables, boolean-based blind injection to enumerate database contents, and time-based blind injection for scenarios where direct output is not available. Attackers may also leverage stacked queries to execute multiple SQL statements, potentially enabling data manipulation or deletion.

For detailed technical analysis and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub Project Documentation and VulDB advisory #250592.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0487

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php containing SQL metacharacters in the ref parameter (e.g., single quotes, semicolons, UNION keywords)
• Unusual database query patterns or errors in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unexpected database modifications
• Web server logs showing repeated requests to the vulnerable endpoint with varying payloads

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the ref parameter
• Implement database activity monitoring to identify anomalous query patterns such as UNION-based or time-based injection attempts
• Enable detailed logging on the web server and database server to capture suspicious requests and queries
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor HTTP traffic to /admin/action/delete-vaccine.php for suspicious parameter values
• Set up alerts for database error messages that may indicate attempted SQL injection
• Review web application logs for repeated failed requests or unusual access patterns to administrative endpoints
• Implement real-time monitoring for bulk data access or export operations that could indicate successful exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0487

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or disable the Fighting Cock Information System application if it is not essential to operations
• Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP addresses only using firewall rules
• Place a Web Application Firewall (WAF) in front of the application to filter SQL injection attempts
• Conduct a security review of the database for signs of compromise or unauthorized access

Patch Information

As of the last modification date, no official patch has been released by the vendor for this vulnerability. The exploit details have been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation. Organizations using this software should consider the workarounds and mitigation strategies outlined below until an official patch becomes available.

For the latest information, monitor the VulDB advisory and vendor communications for security updates.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation on the ref parameter to accept only expected values (e.g., numeric identifiers)
• Modify the vulnerable PHP file to use prepared statements with parameterized queries instead of string concatenation
• Deploy network-level access controls to restrict access to the /admin/ directory to authorized administrators only
• Consider migrating to an alternative, actively maintained information system if the vendor does not provide timely patches

# Example: Restrict access to admin directory using Apache .htaccess
# Add to /admin/.htaccess
<RequireAll>
    Require ip 192.168.1.0/24
    Require ip 10.0.0.0/8
</RequireAll>