CVE-2024-10736: Codezips Exam Hall System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-10736 Overview

A SQL Injection vulnerability has been identified in Codezips Free Exam Hall Seating Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /student.php file where the email parameter is not properly sanitized before being used in database queries. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL statements and potentially compromise the underlying database.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL Injection vulnerability to extract sensitive student and examination data, modify database records, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the underlying system.

Affected Products

• Codezips Free Exam Hall Seating Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-11-03 - CVE-2024-10736 published to NVD
• 2024-11-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-10736

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the email parameter in the /student.php endpoint of the Codezips Free Exam Hall Seating Management System. The application fails to implement proper input validation and parameterized queries, allowing user-supplied data to be directly concatenated into SQL statements. When an attacker provides specially crafted input through the email field, the malicious SQL code is executed by the database server with the same privileges as the application's database user.

The vulnerability can be exploited without authentication, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible installations. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to retrieve sensitive examination records, student information, and potentially pivot to further system compromise depending on database configuration and privileges.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input in SQL queries. The /student.php file directly incorporates the email parameter value into SQL statements without using prepared statements, parameterized queries, or proper escaping mechanisms. This is a classic example of CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /student.php endpoint with a specially manipulated email parameter. The injected SQL payload is then processed by the application and executed against the backend database.

The attack flow involves sending a request containing SQL metacharacters and additional SQL syntax in the email field. Depending on the injection point and database configuration, attackers can perform various operations including data extraction via UNION-based injection, blind SQL injection for data exfiltration, or time-based attacks to enumerate database contents.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10736

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed requests to /student.php containing SQL syntax in the email parameter
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors
• Unexpected database query patterns or execution of non-standard SQL commands
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized access to student/examination records

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the email parameter
• Monitor application and database logs for suspicious query patterns or error messages
• Deploy intrusion detection signatures targeting common SQL injection payloads
• Review access logs for requests to /student.php with unusual parameter lengths or special characters

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the database server to capture all executed queries
• Set up alerting for failed login attempts or database errors originating from the web application
• Monitor for outbound data transfers that may indicate successful data exfiltration
• Implement file integrity monitoring on the web application to detect unauthorized modifications

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10736

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /student.php endpoint until a patch is available
• Implement web application firewall rules to filter SQL injection attempts
• Review database user privileges and apply the principle of least privilege
• Consider temporarily disabling the affected functionality if business operations permit

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no official patch has been released by Codezips for this vulnerability. Organizations using this software should monitor the vendor's official channels for security updates. Additional technical details about this vulnerability can be found in the GitHub Issue on CVE and the VulDB entry.

Workarounds

• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules to filter malicious requests
• Implement input validation at the application level to sanitize the email parameter before database queries
• Use parameterized queries or prepared statements if modifying the source code is possible
• Limit database user permissions to reduce the impact of successful SQL injection attacks
• Consider network segmentation to restrict access to the application from untrusted networks

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in email parameter
SecRule ARGS:email "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    block,\
    msg:'SQL Injection Attempt Detected in email parameter',\
    logdata:'Matched Data: %{MATCHED_VAR} found within %{MATCHED_VAR_NAME}',\
    severity:'CRITICAL'"