CVE-2024-9315: Gate Pass Logging System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2024-9315 Overview

CVE-2024-9315 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Employee and Visitor Gate Pass Logging System 1.0. The flaw resides in /admin/maintenance/manage_department.php, where the id parameter is passed to a database query without proper sanitization. Attackers can manipulate the parameter remotely to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic attacks against exposed installations. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-89 and affects deployments that expose the admin interface to untrusted networks.

Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can extract, modify, or delete database contents by injecting SQL through the id parameter in manage_department.php.

Affected Products

Oretnom23 / SourceCodester Employee and Visitor Gate Pass Logging System 1.0
Deployments using cpe:2.3:a:oretnom23:employee_and_visitor_gate_pass_logging_system:1.0
Any customized fork retaining the vulnerable manage_department.php handler

Discovery Timeline

2024-09-28 - CVE-2024-9315 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-9315

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a classic SQL injection flaw in a PHP-based web application. The manage_department.php script inside the /admin/maintenance/ directory processes an id argument supplied through user-controlled input. That input flows directly into a database query without parameterization or escaping. An attacker with low-privileged access to the admin interface can supply crafted values to break the query context and append arbitrary SQL clauses.

Because the attack is remote and requires only a valid HTTP request, exploitation does not depend on local network access. Public disclosure of the issue on GitHub and VulDB provides technical details that lower the barrier for weaponization. The scope is limited to the application database, but that database typically stores personnel records, visitor logs, and administrative credentials.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command [CWE-89]. The manage_department.php handler concatenates the id request parameter into a SQL statement instead of using prepared statements or bound parameters. No input validation restricts the parameter to expected numeric values.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network against the admin maintenance endpoint. An attacker with a low-privileged session sends a modified HTTP request containing SQL syntax in the id parameter. The server executes the injected SQL against the backend database. Refer to the GitHub Issue Discussion and VulDB #278819 for disclosed request patterns.

No verified proof-of-concept code is included here. See the referenced advisories for exact payload structures used during public disclosure.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-9315

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /admin/maintenance/manage_department.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or comment sequences in the id parameter
Web server access logs showing unusually long or encoded id values against manage_department.php
Database error messages or stack traces returned to unauthenticated or low-privileged clients
Unexpected new administrator accounts or modified department records in the application database

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall signatures that detect SQL injection patterns in requests targeting manage_department.php
Enable database query logging and alert on queries referencing the departments table with syntactically unusual WHERE clauses
Correlate authenticated admin sessions against source IP anomalies to spot credential misuse
Perform authenticated dynamic application security testing (DAST) against the id parameter to confirm exposure

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web server, PHP, and database logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation and retention
Alert on 500-series HTTP responses from /admin/maintenance/ endpoints, which often indicate injection probing
Baseline normal request volume to manage_department.php and alert on sudden spikes from single sources

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-9315

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to /admin/ paths using IP allowlists, VPN, or reverse-proxy authentication until a fix is applied
Rotate administrator credentials and audit the departments table and related records for tampering
Deploy WAF rules that block SQL metacharacters in the id parameter of manage_department.php
Review web server access logs for prior exploitation attempts referenced in the VulDB CTI ID #278819 entry

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been published for SourceCodester Employee and Visitor Gate Pass Logging System 1.0 at the time of this writing. Operators must apply source-level fixes: replace direct string concatenation in manage_department.php with parameterized queries using PDO or mysqli prepared statements, and enforce integer casting on the id parameter. Monitor the SourceCodester Resource Page for future releases.

Workarounds

Modify manage_department.php to cast the id parameter to an integer before use in any SQL query
Replace inline SQL with prepared statements using bound parameters for all admin maintenance scripts
Place the application behind a WAF configured with OWASP Core Rule Set SQL injection rules
If patching is not feasible, take the affected instance offline until the vulnerable code path is remediated

bash

# Example nginx configuration to restrict admin path access
location /admin/ {
    allow 10.0.0.0/24;
    deny all;
    auth_basic "Restricted";
    auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
}