CVE-2024-5381 Overview
CVE-2024-5381 is a SQL injection vulnerability in itsourcecode Student Information Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the view.php file, where the studentId parameter is passed to a database query without proper sanitization. Attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network and requires only low-level privileges. Public disclosure of the exploit details has increased the risk of active exploitation attempts against exposed instances. The weakness is classified under CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers with low-privileged accounts can inject arbitrary SQL through the studentId parameter, potentially exposing or altering student records stored in the backend database.
Affected Products
- itsourcecode Student Information Management System 1.0
- Deployments using the vulnerable view.php endpoint
- Web applications built on the unmodified itsourcecode SIMS codebase
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-05-26 - CVE-2024-5381 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-5381
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in the view.php component of itsourcecode Student Information Management System 1.0. The application accepts the studentId argument directly from HTTP request input and concatenates it into a SQL query. Because the input is neither sanitized nor bound as a parameter, attackers can break out of the intended query context. An authenticated but low-privileged attacker can supply crafted values to read, modify, or extract data from the backend database. The exploit has been publicly disclosed through VulDB submission #266293 and a corresponding GitHub issue report, lowering the barrier for opportunistic exploitation.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of special SQL elements ([CWE-89]) in user-controlled input. The view.php script constructs SQL statements through direct string concatenation of the studentId parameter rather than using prepared statements or parameterized queries. This design pattern allows metacharacters such as single quotes, comment sequences, and UNION keywords to alter query semantics.
Attack Vector
The attack is remote and requires network access to the vulnerable web application. An attacker submits a crafted HTTP request to view.php with a malicious studentId value. Successful injection can yield unauthorized read access to database tables, tampering with student records, or enumeration of database schema details. Additional details are documented in the GitHub Issue Report and the VulDB entry #266293.
No verified proof-of-concept code is available in the enriched data. Refer to the linked external references for technical reproduction details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-5381
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to view.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, /*, or UNION SELECT in the studentId parameter
- Web server access logs showing unusually long or URL-encoded studentId values
- Database error messages returned to clients referencing MySQL syntax or table names
- Unexpected outbound queries or spikes in database CPU tied to view.php requests
Detection Strategies
- Deploy web application firewall rules that inspect the studentId query parameter for SQL injection patterns
- Enable database query logging and alert on statements containing tautologies such as OR 1=1 or stacked queries
- Correlate web access logs with database audit logs to identify anomalous query volumes tied to a single session
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor authentication logs for low-privileged accounts issuing high volumes of requests to view.php
- Track database read operations against sensitive student data tables and alert on unusual access patterns
- Retain full HTTP request bodies and query strings for at least 90 days to support incident investigation
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-5381
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the Student Information Management System to trusted networks or VPN users
- Audit the view.php source and refactor SQL statements to use parameterized queries or prepared statements
- Apply input validation to enforce that studentId contains only expected characters, such as digits
- Review database logs for signs of prior exploitation and rotate any credentials that may have been exposed
Patch Information
No official vendor patch has been listed in the enriched CVE data for CVE-2024-5381. Operators should contact itsourcecode for remediation guidance or apply source-level fixes to view.php to introduce parameterized queries. Consult the VulDB entry for current status.
Workarounds
- Place the application behind a web application firewall configured to block SQL injection payloads targeting studentId
- Enforce the principle of least privilege on the database account used by the web application, restricting write and schema modification rights
- Disable public exposure of the view.php endpoint until source-level fixes are validated
No verified mitigation configuration example is available. Refer to the external references for vendor guidance once released.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
