CVE-2024-5515: Stock Management System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-5515 Overview

CVE-2024-5515 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Stock Management System 1.0, developed by warrendaloyan. The flaw resides in the createBrand.php file, where the brandName parameter is incorporated into a SQL query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers with low-privileged access can manipulate the parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is tracked as VDB-266586. The weakness is classified under [CWE-89] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).

Critical Impact

Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL statements through the brandName parameter in createBrand.php, potentially exposing or modifying database contents.

Affected Products

• Warrendaloyan Stock Management System 1.0
• SourceCodester Stock Management System (distribution channel)
• createBrand.php component

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-30 - CVE-2024-5515 published to NVD
• 2025-02-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-5515

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the createBrand.php script of Stock Management System 1.0. The script accepts a brandName parameter through an HTTP request and passes it directly into a SQL query without input validation or parameterized queries. This allows an attacker to break out of the intended query context and append arbitrary SQL syntax.

Exploitation requires network access to the application and low-privileged authentication. No user interaction is needed. Successful attacks can read sensitive table data, modify records, or enumerate the database schema. The public disclosure of the exploit increases the likelihood of opportunistic attacks against exposed instances.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special characters [CWE-89]. The createBrand.php handler concatenates the brandName request parameter into a SQL statement instead of using prepared statements with bound parameters. Quote characters, comment markers, and SQL keywords supplied by the attacker are interpreted as part of the query.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends a crafted HTTP POST request to createBrand.php containing malicious SQL syntax in the brandName field. By terminating the original string literal and appending clauses such as UNION SELECT or boolean conditions, the attacker can extract data from arbitrary tables. Time-based or error-based techniques can also be used to confirm exploitation when responses are not directly reflected.

No verified proof-of-concept code is published in the vendor advisory channels. Refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB #266586 for technical references.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-5515

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP POST requests to createBrand.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, double dashes, or UNION keywords in the brandName parameter
• Database error messages logged after requests to createBrand.php
• Unexpected new rows in the brands table or related inventory tables
• Anomalous outbound queries from the web application database user

Detection Strategies

• Inspect web server access logs for requests to /createBrand.php containing URL-encoded SQL syntax (%27, %22, --, %20OR%20)
• Deploy a web application firewall rule set tuned for SQL injection patterns against the Stock Management System endpoints
• Enable database query logging and alert on syntactically unusual queries originating from the application service account

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward web server and database logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation of injection attempts with database anomalies
• Monitor authentication events for the Stock Management System to detect credential abuse preceding injection attempts
• Establish a baseline of normal query patterns from the application and alert on deviations such as INFORMATION_SCHEMA access

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-5515

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the Stock Management System to trusted users only, ideally behind a VPN
• Audit existing application accounts and reset any credentials suspected of compromise
• Review database contents in the brands table and related tables for unauthorized modifications
• Deploy a web application firewall in front of the application with SQL injection signatures enabled

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been published in the referenced advisories. Stock Management System 1.0 remains the affected version. Organizations using the application should consider migrating to a maintained alternative or applying source-level fixes to createBrand.php to use parameterized queries with bound parameters.

Workarounds

• Apply a source-code fix that replaces string concatenation in createBrand.php with prepared statements using PDO or MySQLi bound parameters
• Limit the database account used by the application to the minimum privileges required, removing DROP, ALTER, and cross-database access
• Place the application behind a web application firewall configured to block requests containing SQL metacharacters in the brandName parameter
• If the application is not business-critical, take it offline until a verified fix is in place

# Configuration example - WAF rule pattern to block SQLi attempts on createBrand.php
# ModSecurity rule snippet
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@endsWith /createBrand.php" \
    "chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1005515,msg:'CVE-2024-5515 SQLi attempt'"
    SecRule ARGS:brandName "@detectSQLi" "t:none"