CVE-2024-7221: School Log Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-7221 Overview

CVE-2024-7221 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester/Campcodes School Log Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /admin/manage_user.php script, where the ID parameter is incorporated into a database query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers with low-privileged access can manipulate this argument to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic abuse against exposed installations. The weakness is classified under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact

Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL through the ID parameter in manage_user.php to read, modify, or destroy data in the application database.

Affected Products

• Oretnom23 School Log Management System 1.0
• SourceCodester/Campcodes School Log Management System 1.0
• CPE: cpe:2.3:a:oretnom23:school_log_management_system:1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-07-30 - CVE-2024-7221 published to NVD
• 2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7221

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the administrative user management script /admin/manage_user.php. The script accepts an ID parameter from the HTTP request and incorporates it directly into a SQL statement without parameterization or input validation. An attacker who can reach the admin interface can append SQL syntax to the ID argument, altering the structure of the executed query.

Successful exploitation allows extraction of arbitrary records from the underlying database, including credentials, student records, and session data. Attackers can also leverage stacked queries or UNION-based techniques to modify data or escalate access within the application. Because the affected component is part of the admin interface, exploitation requires valid low-privileged credentials, but the application's authentication model and weak access control may permit broad lateral movement once a foothold is obtained.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input neutralization on the ID parameter before it is concatenated into a SQL query. The application does not use prepared statements or parameterized queries, and it does not enforce strict type coercion on numeric identifiers. This pattern is consistent with [CWE-74] injection flaws across many PHP-based school management applications from the same vendor.

Attack Vector

The attack is initiated over the network against the application's HTTP interface. An attacker with low-privileged credentials sends a crafted request to /admin/manage_user.php with a malicious ID value containing SQL metacharacters. A publicly disclosed proof-of-concept demonstrates the injection pattern. Refer to the GitHub Gist PoC and VulDB entry #272792 for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7221

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to /admin/manage_user.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION, SELECT, or SLEEP( in the ID parameter.
• Web server access logs showing repeated requests to manage_user.php with abnormally long or URL-encoded ID values.
• Database error messages referencing manage_user.php in application logs.
• Unexpected administrative user records, password changes, or privilege modifications within the application database.

Detection Strategies

• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that inspects the ID parameter on manage_user.php for SQL injection signatures.
• Enable verbose query logging on the backend MySQL instance and alert on syntactically anomalous queries originating from the application user.
• Correlate authentication events with subsequent access to manage_user.php to identify low-privileged accounts probing administrative endpoints.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward web server and database logs to a centralized logging or SIEM platform and alert on SQL error responses returned by the application.
• Baseline normal admin traffic patterns and flag deviations in request volume or parameter entropy on manage_user.php.
• Monitor outbound connections from the web server host that could indicate post-exploitation data exfiltration.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7221

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the /admin/ directory using IP allowlists or VPN-only access until a fix is applied.
• Rotate all administrative credentials and audit user accounts for unauthorized additions or privilege changes.
• Deploy WAF rules that block SQL metacharacters in the ID parameter of manage_user.php.
• Review database audit logs for evidence of injection attempts since July 2024.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is referenced in the NVD entry or VulDB submission for School Log Management System 1.0. Organizations running this application should evaluate replacement or apply the source-level fixes described in the Workarounds section.

Workarounds

• Modify /admin/manage_user.php to use parameterized queries or mysqli_real_escape_string() on the ID value before query construction.
• Cast the ID parameter to an integer using (int)$_GET['id'] or intval() before use in SQL statements, since the value is expected to be numeric.
• Enforce least-privilege on the database account used by the application so it cannot perform schema changes or read unrelated tables.
• If the application is non-essential, take it offline until a vetted replacement is deployed.

# Example PHP remediation pattern for manage_user.php
# Replace direct concatenation with parameterized queries
$id = filter_input(INPUT_GET, 'id', FILTER_VALIDATE_INT);
if ($id === false) { http_response_code(400); exit; }
$stmt = $conn->prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?');
$stmt->bind_param('i', $id);
$stmt->execute();