CVE-2024-24112: Exrick Xmall SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-24112 Overview

CVE-2024-24112 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability discovered in Exrick xmall version 1.1, an open-source e-commerce platform. The vulnerability exists in the orderDir parameter, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands through network-accessible endpoints, potentially leading to complete database compromise, unauthorized data access, and system manipulation.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection flaw to extract sensitive customer data, modify database contents, escalate privileges, or potentially achieve remote code execution on the underlying database server.

Affected Products

• Exrick xmall version 1.1
• xmall e-commerce platform deployments using vulnerable orderDir parameter handling

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-02-06 - CVE-2024-24112 published to NVD
• 2025-05-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-24112

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the xmall e-commerce application's order processing functionality. The vulnerable orderDir parameter is used to control the sorting direction of query results but lacks proper input validation and parameterization. When user-controlled data is directly concatenated into SQL statements without sanitization, attackers can manipulate the query logic to execute arbitrary database commands.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means exploitation requires no authentication and no user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing xmall deployments. Successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system's data.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-24112 is improper input validation and the use of dynamic SQL query construction. The orderDir parameter value is directly incorporated into SQL statements without using prepared statements or parameterized queries. This classic SQL injection pattern allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject malicious SQL code.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads in the orderDir parameter. The vulnerable endpoint processes these requests and passes the unsanitized input directly to the database engine. Common exploitation techniques include:

• UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables
• Boolean-based blind injection to enumerate database contents
• Time-based blind injection when direct output is not available
• Stacked queries (if supported) to execute multiple statements including INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations

The vulnerability is documented in the GitHub Issue Discussion which provides additional context on the affected functionality.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-24112

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL syntax or keywords appearing in web server access logs for endpoints utilizing the orderDir parameter
• Database error messages exposed in application responses indicating query manipulation
• Unexpected database queries containing UNION SELECT, sleep(), benchmark(), or other SQL injection signatures
• Anomalous database activity including unauthorized data extraction or modification
• Evidence of data exfiltration or database enumeration in network traffic logs

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the orderDir parameter
• Implement database activity monitoring to identify suspicious query patterns and unauthorized data access
• Configure application-level logging to capture all requests containing the vulnerable parameter
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with SQL injection signature detection capabilities
• Perform regular security scanning of xmall deployments using vulnerability assessment tools

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on web servers and database servers to capture detailed request information
• Monitor for unusual outbound connections from database servers that could indicate data exfiltration
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement real-time monitoring of application endpoints that accept the orderDir parameter
• Review authentication and authorization logs for signs of privilege escalation following successful injection

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-24112

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit all xmall v1.1 deployments to identify vulnerable instances in your environment
• Implement input validation to restrict the orderDir parameter to expected values only (e.g., ASC or DESC)
• Deploy Web Application Firewall rules to block SQL injection payloads targeting the vulnerable parameter
• Consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to affected functionality until a permanent fix is applied
• Review database permissions to ensure the application uses least-privilege database accounts

Patch Information

As of the last update to this CVE, no official vendor patch has been released for xmall v1.1. Organizations should monitor the xmall GitHub repository for updates and security fixes. In the absence of an official patch, implementing the workarounds below is strongly recommended.

Workarounds

• Implement strict allowlist validation on the orderDir parameter to accept only ASC or DESC values
• Use parameterized queries or prepared statements when modifying the affected code
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules
• Restrict network access to the xmall application to trusted IP ranges where possible
• Consider upgrading to a newer version of the application if available, or migrating to an actively maintained alternative

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in orderDir
SecRule ARGS:orderDir "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in orderDir parameter - CVE-2024-24112',\
    tag:'application-multi',\
    tag:'language-sql',\
    tag:'attack-sqli'"