CVE-2024-7748: Accounts Manager App SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2024-7748 Overview

CVE-2024-7748 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Accounts Manager App 1.0 developed by remyandrade. The flaw resides in the /endpoint/delete-account.php script, where the account parameter is incorporated into a SQL query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers with low privileges can manipulate the parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The exploit has been disclosed publicly, increasing the risk of opportunistic abuse against exposed deployments. The weakness maps to [CWE-89] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).

Critical Impact

Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL through the account parameter of delete-account.php to read, modify, or delete database records in the Accounts Manager App.

Affected Products

• Remyandrade Accounts Manager App 1.0
• CPE: cpe:2.3:a:remyandrade:accounts_manager_app:1.0
• Component: remyandrade:accounts_manager_app

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-08-13 - CVE-2024-7748 published to NVD
• 2024-11-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7748

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the account deletion endpoint of the Accounts Manager App. The /endpoint/delete-account.php script accepts an account argument supplied by the client and concatenates it directly into a SQL query. Because the input is neither parameterized nor escaped, an attacker can break out of the intended query context. The flaw is reachable over the network and requires only low-level privileges in the application. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying database.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of user-supplied input in a SQL statement [CWE-89]. The delete-account.php handler does not use prepared statements or input validation when building the DELETE query that references the account parameter. Any string accepted from the request is treated as trusted SQL syntax.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to /endpoint/delete-account.php with a malicious account value. The injected payload can append additional SQL clauses, use UNION-based extraction, or trigger boolean and time-based blind injection techniques. Because the endpoint performs a destructive DELETE operation, attackers can also abuse the injection to remove rows beyond the intended scope.

The vulnerability is described in prose only because no verified proof-of-concept code is provided in the source data. Technical write-up details are available in the GitHub documentation for the Accounts Manager App and the VulDB entry 274367.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7748

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to /endpoint/delete-account.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, --, UNION SELECT, SLEEP(, or OR 1=1 in the account parameter.
• Unexpected DELETE statements or anomalous row counts in MySQL/MariaDB query logs tied to the Accounts Manager App database.
• Web server access logs showing repeated requests to delete-account.php from a single source within short time windows.
• Application errors referencing SQL syntax exceptions returned to remote clients.

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that inspect the account parameter for SQL injection signatures on requests to delete-account.php.
• Enable MySQL general query logging temporarily to correlate suspicious endpoint calls with executed SQL statements.
• Add static code analysis rules to flag direct string concatenation between request parameters and SQL queries in PHP source.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Alert on HTTP 500 responses or database error strings returned by delete-account.php.
• Monitor for sudden spikes in account deletions or schema-level queries against the application database.
• Track outbound network connections from the web server that could indicate data exfiltration following injection.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7748

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the Accounts Manager App to trusted users until a patched build is deployed.
• Place the application behind a WAF configured with SQL injection rule sets for the account parameter.
• Audit the application database for unauthorized deletions, new privileged accounts, or unexpected data changes.
• Rotate database credentials used by the application if compromise is suspected.

Patch Information

No vendor advisory or official patch has been published in the referenced sources at the time of NVD publication on 2024-08-13. Operators should track the VulDB record 274367 and the project repository for updates. Until a fix is released, treat the deployment as vulnerable.

Workarounds

• Rewrite the delete-account.php query to use parameterized prepared statements via PDO or MySQLi with bound parameters.
• Enforce strict server-side validation that limits the account value to expected types such as numeric IDs.
• Apply the principle of least privilege to the database user, removing rights beyond what the application requires.
• Disable or remove the Accounts Manager App 1.0 if it is not actively required.

# Example: hardening the database account used by the application
REVOKE ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* FROM 'accounts_app'@'%';
GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON accounts_manager_db.* TO 'accounts_app'@'%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;