CVE-2024-1926: Inventory Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-1926 Overview

A critical SQL Injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Free and Open Source Inventory Management System version 1.0. This vulnerability affects the file /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php where the customer parameter is improperly handled, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive database information, data manipulation, or complete system compromise.

Critical Impact

This SQL Injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the database, potentially exposing all stored inventory data, user credentials, and enabling complete database takeover.

Affected Products

• Mayurik Free And Open Source Inventory Management System version 1.0
• Applications using /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php endpoint
• Systems with the vulnerable customer parameter handling

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-02-27 - CVE-2024-1926 published to NVD
• 2024-12-18 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-1926

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), commonly known as SQL Injection. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the customer parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries within the search_sales_report.php file. This lack of input validation allows attackers to manipulate the structure of SQL queries by injecting malicious SQL code through the customer parameter.

The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation. When successfully exploited, an attacker could extract sensitive data from the database, modify or delete records, bypass authentication mechanisms, or potentially gain command execution on the underlying server depending on database configuration and privileges.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and the absence of parameterized queries or prepared statements in the /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php file. The application directly concatenates user-supplied input from the customer parameter into SQL queries without proper sanitization, escaping, or the use of parameterized queries. This fundamental coding flaw allows attackers to break out of the intended query structure and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and can be executed remotely by any unauthenticated attacker with network access to the vulnerable application. The attacker crafts a malicious HTTP request to the /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php endpoint, embedding SQL injection payloads within the customer parameter. Since no authentication or complex exploitation techniques are required, this vulnerability presents a low barrier to exploitation.

The malicious SQL payload is processed by the application and executed against the backend database, allowing the attacker to perform unauthorized database operations. Successful exploitation could lead to complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise of the affected system and its data.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-1926

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP requests to /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php containing SQL syntax in the customer parameter
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors or injection attempts
• Unexpected database queries containing UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, or other common SQL injection patterns
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests
• Monitor application logs for suspicious requests targeting the search_sales_report.php endpoint
• Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns
• Utilize SentinelOne Singularity Platform for real-time endpoint monitoring and threat detection

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the /app/ajax/search_sales_report.php endpoint and database query execution
• Set up alerts for SQL error messages and unusual database query patterns
• Monitor for bulk data access or extraction from inventory and sales tables
• Review authentication logs for signs of privilege escalation following successful injection

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-1926

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the vulnerable application until patches can be applied
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to filter SQL injection attempts
• Review and audit all user input handling in the application, particularly in search_sales_report.php
• Consider temporarily disabling the affected sales report search functionality if business-critical operations permit

Patch Information

At the time of this advisory, no official patch information from the vendor has been published. Organizations using the SourceCodester Free and Open Source Inventory Management System should monitor the vendor's official channels for security updates. In the absence of an official patch, implementing the workarounds and mitigations described below is strongly recommended.

For technical details and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub PoC Repository and VulDB #254861.

Workarounds

• Implement parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions in the affected PHP file
• Apply strict input validation and sanitization for the customer parameter and all user-controlled inputs
• Use a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection detection capabilities
• Restrict database user privileges to the minimum required for application functionality
• Consider network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable application

# Example: Restrict access to vulnerable endpoint using Apache .htaccess
<Files "search_sales_report.php">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
</Files>