CVE-2024-42913: Ruoyi CMS SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-42913 Overview

CVE-2024-42913 is a SQL injection vulnerability discovered in RuoYi CMS version 4.7.9. The vulnerability exists in the job_id parameter at the /sasfs1 endpoint, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries into the application's database operations. RuoYi is a popular open-source content management system built on Java, widely used for rapid development of enterprise web applications.

SQL injection vulnerabilities of this nature can enable unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulation of database contents, and in severe cases, complete compromise of the underlying database server.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability via network access to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially achieve remote code execution through database-specific attack chains.

Affected Products

• RuoYi CMS version 4.7.9
• Applications built on RuoYi framework version 4.7.9
• Systems exposing the vulnerable /sasfs1 endpoint

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-08-26 - CVE-2024-42913 published to NVD
• 2025-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-42913

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) occurs when user-supplied input in the job_id parameter is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerable endpoint /sasfs1 processes the job_id parameter directly in database queries, allowing attackers to manipulate the query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands.

The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication and requires no user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing RuoYi CMS deployments. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of data confidentiality, integrity, and availability within the affected database.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation and the absence of parameterized queries (prepared statements) when handling the job_id parameter. The application directly concatenates user input into SQL query strings, which is a fundamental secure coding violation that enables SQL injection attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, targeting the /sasfs1 endpoint with specially crafted values in the job_id parameter. Attackers can send malicious HTTP requests containing SQL metacharacters and injection payloads to manipulate database queries.

Common SQL injection techniques applicable to this vulnerability include:

• Union-based injection: Extracting data from other database tables by appending UNION SELECT statements
• Boolean-based blind injection: Inferring database contents through true/false responses
• Time-based blind injection: Extracting data through time delays in database responses
• Error-based injection: Leveraging database error messages to extract information

Attackers typically probe the vulnerability by submitting payloads such as single quotes, SQL comments, or boolean expressions to observe application behavior changes.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-42913

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in application logs or exposed to users
• HTTP requests to /sasfs1 containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, semicolons, UNION keywords)
• Database query logs showing unexpected UNION SELECT, SLEEP(), or BENCHMARK() commands
• Abnormal database access patterns or data exfiltration attempts

Detection Strategies

• Configure Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the job_id parameter
• Enable detailed logging on the /sasfs1 endpoint and monitor for suspicious parameter values
• Implement intrusion detection signatures for common SQL injection payloads targeting this specific endpoint
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Review web server access logs for requests to /sasfs1 containing encoded or malformed job_id values
• Monitor database audit logs for queries originating from the RuoYi application containing injection artifacts
• Set up alerts for database errors related to SQL syntax or unexpected query structures
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect automated SQL injection scanning tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-42913

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /sasfs1 endpoint using network-level controls or authentication requirements
• Deploy Web Application Firewall rules to filter SQL injection attempts targeting the job_id parameter
• Audit database user permissions to minimize the impact of potential SQL injection exploitation
• Consider temporarily disabling the vulnerable functionality until a patch can be applied

Patch Information

Users should monitor the official RuoYi project for security updates addressing this vulnerability. Consult the RuoYi GitHub repository for release notes and security advisories. Upgrading to a patched version when available is the recommended remediation.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation on the job_id parameter to accept only expected numeric values
• Use parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions involving user input
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF to inspect and sanitize incoming requests to the vulnerable endpoint
• Apply the principle of least privilege to database accounts used by the application to limit potential damage

In the absence of an official patch, organizations should implement strict input validation for the job_id parameter. The parameter should be validated to ensure it contains only expected characters (typically numeric values for job identifiers) before any database operations occur.