CVE-2024-2147: Online Mobile Store System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-2147 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in SourceCodester Online Mobile Management Store version 1.0. This vulnerability exists in the /admin/login.php file, where improper handling of the username parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands. The flaw enables remote attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and potentially gain unauthorized access to the administrative interface.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrative access to the Online Mobile Management Store system, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data breach.

Affected Products

• SourceCodester Online Mobile Management Store 1.0
• Oretnom23 Online Mobile Store Management System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-03-03 - CVE-2024-2147 published to NVD
• 2025-01-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-2147

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the authentication mechanism in the Online Mobile Management Store application. The vulnerable endpoint /admin/login.php fails to properly sanitize user input in the username parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to manipulate the query logic and bypass authentication controls entirely.

The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative login page, meaning successful exploitation grants attackers elevated privileges within the application.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and parameterized queries in the login authentication mechanism. The application directly concatenates user-supplied input into SQL statements without sanitization or the use of prepared statements. This classic SQL injection pattern allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL code through the username field, manipulating the authentication query to return true regardless of the actual credentials provided.

Attack Vector

The attack can be launched remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious input containing SQL metacharacters and logic operators to manipulate the authentication query. A typical authentication bypass payload would modify the SQL WHERE clause to always evaluate as true, granting access without valid credentials.

The attack targets the /admin/login.php endpoint, where the username parameter is vulnerable. Attackers can submit specially crafted input through standard HTTP POST requests to exploit this vulnerability. The technical details of the SQL injection authentication bypass are documented in the GitHub PoC Repository and the VulDB advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-2147

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual login attempts to /admin/login.php with SQL injection patterns in request parameters
• Web server logs containing SQL keywords such as OR, UNION, SELECT, or comment sequences (--, /**/) in the username field
• Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful admin access from the same IP
• Database query logs showing malformed or unexpected SQL syntax in authentication queries

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns targeting the login endpoint
• Implement log monitoring for requests containing SQL metacharacters (', ", ;, --) in POST parameters to /admin/login.php
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on SQL injection attack signatures targeting PHP applications
• Monitor for anomalous administrative access patterns, particularly successful logins from previously unknown IP addresses

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all authentication attempts to the administrative interface
• Set up real-time alerts for any requests matching SQL injection patterns against the vulnerable endpoint
• Review database logs for unusual query patterns or syntax errors that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement rate limiting on the login endpoint to slow down automated attack attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-2147

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /admin/login.php endpoint using IP-based access controls or VPN requirements
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
• Implement additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication for administrative access
• Consider taking the administrative portal offline until a proper fix can be implemented

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability. As this is an open-source project from SourceCodester, users should implement manual code fixes or consider alternative solutions. The application code should be modified to use prepared statements with parameterized queries for all database interactions, particularly in the authentication logic.

Organizations using this software should evaluate whether continued use is appropriate given the lack of vendor support. For technical details about the vulnerability, refer to the VulDB advisory #255500.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements with parameterized queries in the login authentication code to prevent SQL injection
• Add input validation to reject special characters and SQL keywords in the username field
• Use a Web Application Firewall to filter malicious requests before they reach the application
• Restrict administrative access to trusted IP addresses only through network-level controls
• Consider migrating to a more actively maintained e-commerce solution with better security practices

# Example: Restrict access to admin directory via .htaccess
# Place this in the /admin/ directory
<Files "login.php">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    Allow from 10.0.0.0/8
</Files>