CVE-2024-7839 Overview
CVE-2024-7839 is a SQL injection vulnerability in itsourcecode Billing System 1.0, a PHP-based web application developed by angeljudesuarez. The flaw resides in the addbill.php script, where the owners_id parameter is incorporated into a SQL query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers can manipulate this parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements against the backing database. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic abuse against exposed installations. The weakness is tracked under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).
Critical Impact
Remote unauthenticated attackers can inject SQL through the owners_id argument in addbill.php, enabling unauthorized read, modification, or extraction of billing database records.
Affected Products
- angeljudesuarez Billing System 1.0
- itsourcecode Billing System distribution containing addbill.php
- Deployments exposing the affected PHP endpoint over the network
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-08-15 - CVE-2024-7839 published to NVD
- 2024-08-19 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-7839
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a classic SQL injection in the addbill.php endpoint of itsourcecode Billing System 1.0. The application accepts the owners_id parameter from a client request and concatenates it directly into a SQL query string. Because no parameterized statements or input validation are applied, attacker-controlled input alters the structure of the executed query.
The issue is exploitable remotely over the network without authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation lets an attacker read records the application would not normally return, modify billing entries, or enumerate the underlying schema. Public disclosure of the exploit details lowers the technical barrier for adversaries scanning for vulnerable PHP applications.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of user-supplied input before it is used in a SQL statement ([CWE-89]). The owners_id argument flows from the HTTP request into a database query without binding or escaping, allowing meta-characters such as single quotes, UNION, and comment sequences to break out of the intended query context.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to addbill.php with a malicious owners_id value. The injected payload extends or replaces the original query, returning attacker-chosen data or performing additional database operations. No credentials are required and the attack can be automated using common SQL injection tooling. See the GitHub issue discussion and VulDB entry #274743 for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7839
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to addbill.php containing SQL meta-characters such as ', --, UNION SELECT, or OR 1=1 in the owners_id parameter.
- Unexpected database errors or stack traces returned by the Billing System application in web server logs.
- Outbound connections or large response payloads originating from the web server after requests to addbill.php.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for anomalous query strings targeting owners_id in addbill.php.
- Enable database query logging and alert on dynamically constructed queries containing tautologies, UNION, or INFORMATION_SCHEMA references.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule set with SQL injection signatures tuned for PHP applications.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward web and database logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation of injection attempts with downstream data access.
- Baseline normal request patterns for addbill.php and alert on deviations in request length, character distribution, or response status codes.
- Track authentication and administrative activity in the Billing System database to identify follow-on abuse after successful injection.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7839
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network access to the Billing System application until a fix is deployed, preferably to trusted internal networks or VPN users only.
- Place the application behind a WAF with SQL injection signatures enabled in blocking mode.
- Review database accounts used by the application and remove unnecessary privileges such as FILE, CREATE, or administrative roles.
Patch Information
No vendor patch is referenced in the enriched CVE data for itsourcecode Billing System 1.0. Operators should monitor the upstream project and the VulDB entry for updates. Until an official fix is released, code-level remediation should rewrite the addbill.php query to use prepared statements with bound parameters and validate that owners_id is a numeric value.
Workarounds
- Modify addbill.php to use PDO or MySQLi prepared statements, binding owners_id as an integer.
- Add server-side input validation that rejects any non-numeric owners_id value before it reaches database code.
- Apply least-privilege database credentials so the web application cannot execute schema-modifying or cross-database queries.
- Disable verbose PHP and database error messages in production to limit information available to attackers probing the endpoint.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
