CVE-2024-6901 Overview
CVE-2024-6901 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Record Management System 1.0, developed by jkev. The flaw resides in the entry.php file, where the school parameter is passed directly into a database query without proper sanitization. Attackers can exploit the issue remotely with low privileges and no user interaction. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of opportunistic exploitation against exposed instances. The vulnerability is tracked as VulDB identifier VDB-271926 and mapped to CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can inject arbitrary SQL through the school parameter in entry.php, potentially reading, modifying, or destroying data stored in the application database.
Affected Products
- SourceCodester Record Management System 1.0
- jkev record_management_system (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:jkev:record_management_system:1.0)
- Deployments exposing entry.php to untrusted networks
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-07-19 - CVE-2024-6901 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-6901
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a classic SQL injection flaw in the entry.php endpoint of the Record Management System. User-supplied input from the school parameter is concatenated into a SQL statement without parameterization or input validation. Attackers can supply crafted payloads that alter the query's logic, exposing backend database contents.
The issue falls under CWE-89. Because the application appears to run with database privileges sufficient to query and modify tables, exploitation can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, tampering, or deletion. Chained with weak authentication controls, an attacker could pivot toward broader compromise of records held in the application.
The EPSS score is 0.545%, placing this CVE in the 42.84 percentile of published vulnerabilities for exploitation likelihood.
Root Cause
The root cause is direct interpolation of untrusted request input (the school argument) into a SQL statement inside entry.php. The application does not use prepared statements or parameterized queries, and it does not sanitize special SQL metacharacters before query construction.
Attack Vector
Exploitation occurs over the network by issuing HTTP requests to the entry.php endpoint with a manipulated school parameter. The attack requires low-level authenticated access but no user interaction. Because working exploit details have been published via VulDB #271926 and a GitHub PoC Repository, automated scanning against exposed instances is a realistic threat.
The vulnerability manifests when the school parameter is passed to a MySQL query inside entry.php. Instead of using parameter binding, the code concatenates the value into a SELECT or INSERT statement. Supplying payloads containing single quotes, UNION SELECT clauses, or boolean-based conditions modifies the query's structure and returns attacker-controlled results. See the GitHub PoC Repository for full technical details of the injection point.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-6901
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to entry.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, ;, UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1, or URL-encoded equivalents in the school parameter
- Web server access logs showing anomalous response sizes or 500 errors tied to entry.php requests
- Database error messages returned in HTTP responses referencing MySQL syntax
- Unexpected database queries originating from the web application's service account outside normal usage patterns
Detection Strategies
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that identify SQL injection payloads targeting the school parameter
- Enable database query logging and alert on queries containing UNION SELECT or tautologies from the application account
- Correlate web access logs with database logs to detect suspicious request-to-query patterns
- Perform authenticated vulnerability scans of Record Management System 1.0 deployments to confirm exposure of entry.php
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor HTTP request rates and payload contents targeting entry.php from external sources
- Track outbound connections from the web server to detect potential data exfiltration following a successful injection
- Alert on new administrative or user accounts created within the application database
- Review MySQL binary logs regularly for unauthorized INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-6901
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the Record Management System, placing it behind authenticated VPN or IP allow-lists
- Deploy a WAF with signatures tuned for SQL injection against the entry.php endpoint and the school parameter
- Audit database accounts used by the application and revoke unnecessary privileges such as DROP, FILE, or GRANT
- Review historical web and database logs for prior exploitation attempts referenced in the GitHub PoC Repository
Patch Information
No vendor patch is listed in the NVD entry or the VulDB CTI Information at the time of publication. Operators should treat Record Management System 1.0 as unpatched and consider migrating away from the affected release or applying custom fixes.
Workarounds
- Modify entry.php locally to use parameterized queries (mysqli_prepare or PDO with bound parameters) for the school argument
- Add server-side input validation that rejects non-alphanumeric characters in the school parameter
- Configure the database account used by the application with the minimum privileges required, blocking schema modification
- Take the application offline if it is not business-critical until a vendor-supplied patch is available
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
