CVE-2024-7937: Project Expense Monitoring System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-7937 Overview

CVE-2024-7937 is a SQL injection vulnerability in itsourcecode Project Expense Monitoring System 1.0. The flaw resides in printtransfer.php, where the transfer_id parameter is passed directly into a database query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers with low-privileged access can manipulate the parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The exploit details have been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of opportunistic attacks against exposed installations. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-89 for improper neutralization of SQL command elements.

Critical Impact

Authenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries through printtransfer.php, potentially exposing or modifying expense records and underlying database contents.

Affected Products

• itsourcecode Project Expense Monitoring System 1.0
• printtransfer.php component handling the transfer_id parameter
• Deployments using the vulnerable backend database integration

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-08-20 - CVE-2024-7937 published to NVD
• 2024-09-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7937

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from unsafe handling of user-supplied input in printtransfer.php. The transfer_id HTTP parameter flows directly into a SQL query string without parameterization or input validation. Attackers can append SQL syntax to the parameter to alter the query's logic. This enables data extraction, authentication context abuse, and potential write operations against the connected database.

The EPSS score is 0.077% with a percentile of 22.81, reflecting limited observed exploitation activity. However, public disclosure of exploit details lowers the barrier for attackers targeting exposed instances. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of prepared statements or input sanitization in the database query path handling transfer_id. Concatenating untrusted input into SQL strings allows attacker-controlled syntax to be parsed by the database engine. The application also exposes the vulnerable endpoint to authenticated users without additional authorization controls on the parameter.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires low privileges with no user interaction. An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to printtransfer.php with a malicious transfer_id value. Typical exploitation patterns include UNION-based extraction, boolean-based blind injection, and time-based blind injection. See the GitHub CVE Documentation and VulDB entry #275122 for additional technical context.

// Vulnerability pattern (illustrative description)
// printtransfer.php concatenates the transfer_id parameter directly into
// a SQL query, e.g.: SELECT * FROM transfers WHERE id = $_GET['transfer_id']
// Attackers append SQL clauses such as: ?transfer_id=1 UNION SELECT ...

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7937

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP GET or POST requests to printtransfer.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or -- in the transfer_id parameter
• Unexpected database errors or stack traces in web server logs referencing printtransfer.php
• Anomalous database query volume or long-running queries originating from the web application service account

Detection Strategies

• Inspect web access logs for requests to printtransfer.php with non-numeric or encoded values in transfer_id
• Deploy WAF rules that flag SQL metacharacters and common injection payloads against the affected endpoint
• Correlate web request anomalies with database audit logs to identify query manipulation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose query logging on the backend database and alert on union-based or time-based query patterns
• Monitor outbound traffic from the web server for data exfiltration following suspicious requests
• Track authentication events to identify low-privileged accounts probing the expense monitoring application

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7937

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the Project Expense Monitoring System to trusted users until a fix is applied
• Disable or remove printtransfer.php if the reporting feature is not in active use
• Rotate database credentials used by the web application if exploitation is suspected

Patch Information

No vendor advisory or official patch has been published for CVE-2024-7937 at the time of NVD listing. Operators should consult the VulDB entry and the GitHub CVE Documentation for the latest status. Until a fix is released, mitigation must be applied at the application, network, or WAF layer.

Workarounds

• Apply a WAF signature that blocks SQL metacharacters in the transfer_id parameter for printtransfer.php
• Place the application behind a reverse proxy enforcing strict input validation on numeric parameters
• Implement a parameterized query wrapper in printtransfer.php and cast transfer_id to an integer before database use

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking SQL metacharacters on transfer_id
SecRule ARGS:transfer_id "@rx (?i)(union|select|sleep|benchmark|--|;|/\*)" \
  "id:1007937,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'CVE-2024-7937 SQLi attempt on printtransfer.php'"