CVE-2024-6253: Online Food Ordering System SQL Injection

CVE-2024-6253 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in itsourcecode Online Food Ordering System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /purchase.php file, where improper handling of the customer parameter allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries without authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive customer data, modify order information, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the underlying database system.

Affected Products

• Kevinwong Online Food Ordering System version 1.0
• itsourcecode Online Food Ordering System 1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-06-22 - CVE-2024-6253 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-6253

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation in the /purchase.php file of the Online Food Ordering System. The customer parameter is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterized query implementation. When user-supplied input is concatenated directly into SQL statements, attackers can manipulate the query logic by injecting specially crafted SQL syntax.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), a common web application security flaw. Since the attack can be launched remotely without authentication, any internet-facing deployment of this application is at significant risk. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of exploitation attempts against vulnerable systems.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of input sanitization and the use of string concatenation to build SQL queries in the /purchase.php file. The customer parameter value is directly embedded into database queries without escaping special characters or using prepared statements with parameterized queries. This architectural flaw allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests to the /purchase.php endpoint with a specially manipulated customer parameter. The injected SQL payload is then executed by the database server with the privileges of the application's database user.

Typical exploitation scenarios include:

• Data Exfiltration: Using UNION-based injection to extract sensitive customer information, order details, and credentials
• Authentication Bypass: Manipulating login queries to gain unauthorized access
• Database Manipulation: Inserting, updating, or deleting records in the database
• Privilege Escalation: Depending on database permissions, attackers may execute administrative commands

For technical details regarding this vulnerability, refer to the GitHub Issue for CVE-1 and the VulDB entry #269420.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-6253

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests to /purchase.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, INSERT, DROP, or comment sequences (--, /*)
• Database error messages appearing in application logs or responses
• Unexpected database query patterns or spikes in database server load
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules targeting the /purchase.php endpoint
• Implement application-level logging to capture and analyze all requests to the customer parameter
• Configure database auditing to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized access attempts
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /purchase.php with suspicious parameter values
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions related to malformed SQL queries
• Track failed login attempts and unexpected privilege changes in the application
• Implement real-time monitoring for unusual data access patterns in the customer and order tables

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-6253

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove the Online Food Ordering System from public internet access until patched
• Implement input validation and parameterized queries for the customer parameter in /purchase.php
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• Review database logs for evidence of past exploitation attempts
• Consider rotating database credentials if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been released for this vulnerability at the time of publication. Organizations using itsourcecode Online Food Ordering System 1.0 should contact the vendor for security updates or implement the workarounds listed below. Monitor the VulDB entry for updates regarding patch availability.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements with parameterized queries in the /purchase.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Apply strict input validation to the customer parameter, allowing only expected characters and formats
• Deploy a WAF configured to block common SQL injection attack patterns
• Restrict database user privileges to minimum required permissions (principle of least privilege)
• Isolate the application database from other systems to limit potential impact

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts on purchase.php
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /purchase.php" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,\
    chain"
    SecRule ARGS:customer "@detectSQLi" \
        "log,msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in customer parameter'"