CVE-2024-0884: Online Tours Management System SQL Injection

CVE-2024-0884 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Online Tours & Travels Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the payment.php file, specifically within the exec function, where the id parameter is not properly sanitized before being used in SQL queries. This flaw allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized database access, data exfiltration, and complete system compromise.

Critical Impact
This SQL injection vulnerability enables unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the application's database, potentially compromising all stored data including user credentials, payment information, and travel booking records.

Affected Products

Mayurik Online Tours & Travels Management System 1.0
SourceCodester Online Tours & Travels Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

2024-01-25 - CVE-2024-0884 published to NVD
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0884

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (SQL Injection), a well-known web application security flaw that occurs when user-supplied data is incorporated into SQL queries without adequate validation or parameterization. In the case of CVE-2024-0884, the payment.php file accepts an id parameter that is directly used in database operations through the exec function.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication to exploit, can be triggered remotely over the network, and has no user interaction requirements. An attacker can craft malicious SQL statements within the id parameter to manipulate database queries, potentially extracting sensitive information, modifying or deleting data, or escalating privileges within the database management system.

The exploit for this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk profile for organizations running unpatched versions of this travel management system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and the lack of parameterized queries in the payment.php file. The exec function processes the id parameter without sanitizing special SQL characters or using prepared statements, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject their own SQL commands. This is a fundamental secure coding oversight where user input is trusted and concatenated directly into SQL statements.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and can be initiated remotely by any unauthenticated attacker who can reach the vulnerable web application. The attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to payment.php with a malicious payload in the id parameter. This payload contains SQL syntax that, when processed by the application, alters the intended database query behavior.

Typical attack scenarios include:

Data Extraction: Using UNION-based or blind SQL injection techniques to extract sensitive database contents
Authentication Bypass: Manipulating queries to bypass login mechanisms
Data Manipulation: Inserting, updating, or deleting records in the database
Privilege Escalation: Attempting to execute stored procedures or database-level commands

The vulnerability is documented in technical references including a CSDN Blog Article that provides additional details about the exploitation technique.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0884

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual HTTP requests to payment.php containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, INSERT, DROP, etc.) in the id parameter
Database error messages appearing in web server logs or application responses
Unexpected database queries or query patterns in database audit logs
Signs of data exfiltration or unauthorized database access in monitoring systems

Detection Strategies

Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in request parameters
Enable database query logging and monitor for anomalous query structures or unauthorized data access
Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns
Review web server access logs for requests to payment.php with encoded or suspicious id parameter values

Monitoring Recommendations

Configure real-time alerting for SQL syntax detected in HTTP request parameters
Monitor database connection patterns for unusual query execution from the web application
Set up file integrity monitoring on payment.php and related application files
Implement application performance monitoring to detect unusual query execution times that may indicate blind SQL injection attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0884

Immediate Actions Required

Immediately restrict access to the payment.php file or the entire application if patching is not immediately possible
Implement input validation at the web application firewall level to filter SQL injection attempts
Review and audit all database access logs for signs of prior exploitation
Consider taking the application offline until a secure version can be deployed

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is available at this time. Organizations should contact the vendor (Mayurik/SourceCodester) for remediation guidance. In the absence of an official patch, implementing the workarounds below and considering alternative software solutions is strongly recommended.

For additional vulnerability details, refer to VulDB Entry #252035.

Workarounds

Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection enabled and configured to inspect the id parameter
Implement input validation to ensure the id parameter accepts only numeric values using server-side validation
Use prepared statements and parameterized queries when modifying the source code as a custom fix
Restrict network access to the application using IP whitelisting or VPN requirements
Consider migrating to a more actively maintained travel management system with better security practices

bash

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in the id parameter
SecRule ARGS:id "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    block,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in id parameter',\
    log,\
    severity:'CRITICAL'"