CVE-2024-55270 Overview
CVE-2024-55270 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting phpgurukul Student Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the studentms/admin/search.php file, where the searchdata parameter fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows authenticated attackers with network access to inject malicious SQL statements, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation of this SQL injection vulnerability could allow attackers to extract sensitive student and administrative data, modify database records, or potentially achieve further system compromise through database-level attacks.
Affected Products
- phpgurukul Student Management System 1.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-17 - CVE CVE-2024-55270 published to NVD
- 2026-02-18 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-55270
Vulnerability Analysis
This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) occurs due to insufficient input validation in the administrative search functionality. The searchdata parameter in studentms/admin/search.php accepts user-supplied input that is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. This classic injection flaw enables attackers to manipulate the intended SQL logic by crafting malicious input strings containing SQL syntax.
The vulnerability requires low-privilege authentication to exploit but presents no additional complexity barriers once access is obtained. Successful exploitation can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all data managed by the Student Management System, including student records, grades, and administrative credentials.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The application fails to use prepared statements or parameterized queries when handling user input in the search functionality. Instead, user-supplied data from the searchdata parameter is directly interpolated into SQL query strings, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based, requiring an authenticated user to submit a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable search.php endpoint. The attacker can inject SQL syntax through the searchdata parameter, potentially using techniques such as UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables, boolean-based blind injection to enumerate database contents, or stacked queries to execute additional SQL statements.
Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available at the GitHub PoC Repository. The vulnerable application source code can be reviewed at the GitHub Project Repository.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-55270
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to /studentms/admin/search.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes ('), double dashes (--), or UNION SELECT statements
- Unusual database query patterns or errors in application logs originating from the search functionality
- Unexpected data exfiltration or bulk data access from the student management database
Detection Strategies
- Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the searchdata parameter
- Monitor web server access logs for requests to search.php containing suspicious payloads or encoded SQL syntax
- Implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the database server to capture all queries executed against student management tables
- Configure alerts for failed authentication attempts followed by successful logins and immediate search activity
- Establish baseline metrics for normal search query patterns and alert on deviations
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-55270
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to the administrative search functionality (/studentms/admin/search.php) to only trusted network segments or IP addresses
- Implement input validation at the web server level to reject requests containing SQL injection patterns
- Review database permissions to ensure the application uses a least-privilege database account
Patch Information
No official vendor patch has been identified in the available CVE data. Administrators should monitor the phpgurukul project for security updates. As this is an open-source application, organizations may need to implement custom code fixes or migrate to a more actively maintained student management solution.
Workarounds
- Modify the vulnerable search.php file to use prepared statements with parameterized queries instead of string concatenation
- Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF in front of the application to filter malicious input
- Disable the search functionality entirely if it is not critical to operations until a proper fix can be implemented
- Implement application-level input validation using allowlist patterns for the searchdata parameter
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
