CVE-2024-8219: Responsive Hotel Site SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-8219 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Responsive Hotel Site version 1.0. The vulnerability exists within the index.php file, where improper sanitization of user-supplied input in the name, phone, and email parameters allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements. This flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to extract sensitive guest information, modify booking records, or gain unauthorized access to the underlying database without authentication.

Affected Products

Fabian Responsive Hotel Site 1.0
code-projects Responsive Hotel Site 1.0

Discovery Timeline

2024-08-27 - CVE-2024-8219 published to NVD
2025-10-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-8219

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the index.php file in the Fabian Responsive Hotel Site application. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation on user-controllable parameters that are directly incorporated into SQL queries. When users submit data through the hotel booking form, the name, phone, and email fields are processed without proper sanitization or parameterized queries, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary SQL code.

The network-accessible attack vector means that any remote attacker can target exposed instances of this application without requiring authentication or user interaction. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to confidential data stored in the database, including guest personal information, booking details, and potentially administrative credentials.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the lack of proper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input in SQL query construction. The application fails to implement prepared statements or parameterized queries, instead directly concatenating user-supplied values into SQL statements. This classic SQL injection pattern allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and execute arbitrary database commands.

Attack Vector

The attack can be launched remotely over the network against the index.php endpoint. An attacker can craft malicious input for the name, phone, or email parameters containing SQL metacharacters and injection payloads. When the application processes this input, the injected SQL code is executed against the backend database.

For example, an attacker could submit a specially crafted payload in the email field that terminates the legitimate query and appends additional SQL statements. This could allow the attacker to enumerate database tables, extract sensitive data using UNION-based injection techniques, or modify records through INSERT/UPDATE statements. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-8219

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual SQL syntax or error messages appearing in application logs from index.php requests
Web server access logs showing suspicious characters in name, phone, or email parameters (e.g., single quotes, semicolons, UNION statements)
Database query logs containing unexpected SELECT, UNION, or concatenated queries
Abnormal database response times indicating time-based blind SQL injection attempts

Detection Strategies

Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in HTTP POST parameters
Implement intrusion detection signatures for common SQL injection payloads targeting form submissions
Monitor application logs for SQL error messages that may indicate injection attempts
Review database audit logs for suspicious query patterns or unauthorized data access

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable detailed logging on the web server for all requests to index.php
Configure database query logging to capture all executed statements
Set up alerts for SQL syntax errors or database exceptions originating from the application
Monitor for unusual data exfiltration patterns or bulk database queries

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-8219

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the vulnerable application until a patch is applied
Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection attempts
Review database logs for signs of exploitation and investigate any suspicious activity
Consider taking the application offline if it processes sensitive guest data

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been identified for this vulnerability. The Fabian Responsive Hotel Site is a code-projects educational application, and users should consider migrating to a properly maintained and secured hotel management solution. Additional technical details can be found in the GitHub CVE Issue #8 and VulDB #275928.

Workarounds

Implement input validation to reject SQL metacharacters in user-supplied fields
Modify the application code to use prepared statements with parameterized queries
Deploy a WAF in front of the application to filter malicious requests
Limit database user privileges to prevent data modification or schema access

bash

# WAF rule example to block common SQL injection patterns
# Add to ModSecurity or similar WAF configuration
SecRule ARGS "@rx (\b(union|select|insert|update|delete|drop)\b.*\b(from|into|where|set)\b)" \
    "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection Attempt Blocked'"