CVE-2024-7450: Placement Management System RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-7450 Overview

CVE-2024-7450 is an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in itsourcecode Placement Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /resume_upload.php endpoint within the Image Handler component. Attackers manipulate the fileToUpload parameter to bypass file type restrictions and upload arbitrary content to the server. The vulnerability requires only low-privileged network access and no user interaction. Public exploit details have been disclosed, raising the likelihood of opportunistic exploitation against exposed instances. This weakness maps to CWE-434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files through /resume_upload.php, enabling remote code execution and full compromise of the underlying web server.

Affected Products

itsourcecode Placement Management System 1.0
Vendor: angeljudesuarez
Component: Image Handler (/resume_upload.php)

Discovery Timeline

2024-08-04 - CVE-2024-7450 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7450

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the resume upload handler of the Placement Management System 1.0. The /resume_upload.php script accepts a fileToUpload parameter without enforcing server-side validation on the file type, extension, or MIME content. Attackers submit multipart form data containing executable PHP payloads instead of expected resume documents or images. The uploaded file lands in a web-accessible directory, allowing the attacker to request it directly and trigger server-side execution. Because the placement management workflow expects authenticated users submitting resumes, only low privileges are required to reach the vulnerable code path.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient validation in the file upload logic of /resume_upload.php. The Image Handler component trusts the client-supplied filename and content type rather than verifying the file signature and enforcing an allowlist of safe extensions. Combined with a predictable upload destination, this permits attackers to place server-executable scripts inside the application's document root.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is remote and requires network access to the application plus low-privileged authentication. An attacker submits a crafted POST request to /resume_upload.php with a PHP payload disguised as a resume file. Once uploaded, the attacker navigates to the file's URL, causing the web server to execute the payload under the web server user context. See the public disclosure on GitHub and the VulDB entry #273541 for technical details.

No verified proof-of-concept code is available for direct inclusion. The exploitation flow involves a multipart form POST to the vulnerable endpoint containing a fileToUpload field with a .php payload, followed by a GET request to the resulting file path in the uploads directory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7450

Indicators of Compromise

New or unexpected .php, .phtml, or .phar files appearing under the application's upload directory used by /resume_upload.php.
Web server access logs showing POST requests to /resume_upload.php followed by GET requests to files in the uploads path.
Outbound connections initiated by the PHP-FPM or Apache worker process to unfamiliar external hosts.
Uploaded files whose MIME type does not match their declared extension, such as scripts masquerading as image resumes.

Detection Strategies

Inspect HTTP request bodies to /resume_upload.php for filenames containing double extensions, null bytes, or script suffixes.
Correlate file creation events in the web root with the web server process identifier to identify user-uploaded scripts.
Alert on execution of shell utilities such as sh, bash, nc, or python spawned as child processes of the web server.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on the Placement Management System document root and upload directories.
Forward web server access and error logs to a centralized logging platform for retention and query.
Baseline expected process trees for the PHP interpreter and alert on deviations such as network tools or reverse shells.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7450

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network exposure of the Placement Management System to trusted networks or place it behind a VPN until a fix is available.
Disable the resume upload feature if it is not required for current operations.
Audit the uploads directory for unexpected script files and remove any that are not legitimate user submissions.
Rotate credentials for accounts that had access to the vulnerable application.

Patch Information

No vendor patch has been published for itsourcecode Placement Management System 1.0. Organizations running this application should evaluate whether it can be replaced or isolated, since the product is a small open-source project without a formal security response process. Track updates through the VulDB advisory for any future remediation guidance.

Workarounds

Configure the web server to deny script execution within the uploads directory using directives such as php_admin_flag engine off for Apache or a location block that disables PHP handling in Nginx.
Add a web application firewall rule to block requests to /resume_upload.php whose fileToUpload filename ends in executable extensions like .php, .phtml, .phar, or .jsp.
Enforce server-side validation by verifying file signatures with tools such as file and rejecting content whose MIME type is not application/pdf, image/jpeg, or image/png.
Store uploaded files outside the web root and serve them through a controlled download handler that sets Content-Disposition: attachment.

bash

# Apache: prevent script execution inside the uploads directory
<Directory "/var/www/placement/uploads">
    php_admin_flag engine off
    AddType text/plain .php .phtml .phar
    Options -ExecCGI
</Directory>