CVE-2024-13006: 1000projects HRMS SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2024-13006 Overview

A critical SQL Injection vulnerability has been discovered in 1000 Projects Human Resource Management System version 1.0. This issue affects the processing of the file /employeeview.php, where the manipulation of the search parameter allows for SQL injection attacks. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially allowing attackers to extract, modify, or delete sensitive employee data stored in the underlying database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability via the network to compromise the database integrity and confidentiality of the Human Resource Management System, potentially exposing sensitive employee records and organizational data.

Affected Products

• 1000 Projects Human Resource Management System version 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-29 - CVE-2024-13006 published to NVD
• 2025-03-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-13006

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the /employeeview.php file of the 1000 Projects Human Resource Management System. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, which falls under the broader category of Injection vulnerabilities (CWE-74).

The search parameter in employeeview.php does not properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into database queries. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL statements that are then executed by the backend database server. The attack can be initiated remotely through the network without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to implement proper input validation and parameterized queries in the /employeeview.php file. User-supplied input through the search parameter is directly concatenated into SQL queries without sanitization or the use of prepared statements. This classic SQL injection pattern allows attackers to manipulate query logic by inserting SQL metacharacters and commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /employeeview.php endpoint with specially crafted SQL injection payloads in the search parameter. The vulnerability requires no privileges or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can reach the application.

The exploitation involves injecting SQL syntax through the search parameter in requests to /employeeview.php. By appending SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, OR conditions, and UNION SELECT statements, an attacker can extract database contents, bypass authentication logic, or potentially execute administrative database operations. Additional technical details are available in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and the VulDB entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-13006

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests to /employeeview.php containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, double dashes, semicolons, UNION SELECT keywords) in the search parameter
• Database error messages in application logs indicating malformed SQL queries
• Unexpected database query patterns or data extraction attempts in database audit logs
• Increased traffic or repeated requests to the /employeeview.php endpoint from suspicious sources

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns targeting the search parameter
• Enable detailed logging on the web server and database to capture request parameters and query execution
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns
• Conduct regular vulnerability scanning of the Human Resource Management System deployment

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /employeeview.php with anomalous parameter values
• Configure database activity monitoring to alert on unusual query patterns, particularly those involving system tables or bulk data extraction
• Set up alerts for HTTP 500 errors or database connection errors that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Review application logs regularly for evidence of SQL injection probing or successful exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-13006

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the Human Resource Management System to trusted IP ranges only
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter malicious requests targeting /employeeview.php
• Disable or restrict access to the search functionality in /employeeview.php until a patch is available
• Conduct a security audit to identify any potential compromise of the database

Patch Information

At the time of this writing, no official vendor patch has been identified for this vulnerability. Organizations using 1000 Projects Human Resource Management System version 1.0 should contact the vendor directly or check the 1000 Projects Resource Hub for updates. Given the lack of an official patch, implementing workarounds and compensating controls is critical.

Workarounds

• Deploy input validation at the application level to sanitize the search parameter before processing
• Implement parameterized queries or prepared statements in the /employeeview.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Use network segmentation to isolate the Human Resource Management System from untrusted networks
• Consider taking the application offline until proper remediation can be implemented if sensitive data is at risk

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