CVE-2026-14701: Internship Management System SQLi Flaw

CVE-2026-14701 Overview

CVE-2026-14701 is a SQL injection vulnerability affecting code-projects Internship Management System 1.0. The flaw resides in the employer/details/change_password.php file, which serves as the Password Change Endpoint. Attackers can manipulate the Current parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements into backend database queries. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely and requires only low-privilege authentication. A public exploit is available, increasing exposure for unpatched deployments. The issue is classified under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL statements through the Current password parameter to read, modify, or delete database contents.

Affected Products

code-projects Internship Management System 1.0
Component: Password Change Endpoint (employer/details/change_password.php)
Vulnerable parameter: Current

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-05 - CVE-2026-14701 published to NVD
2026-07-06 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-14701

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the password change workflow of code-projects Internship Management System 1.0. The change_password.php script accepts a Current parameter representing the user's existing password. This value is concatenated directly into an SQL query without sanitization or parameterized binding. As a result, attackers can inject SQL syntax that alters the intended query logic. Exploitation may allow unauthorized data retrieval, credential extraction, or manipulation of records tied to employer accounts. Because the flaw sits behind authentication, an attacker needs valid low-privilege credentials, which are often obtainable through registration or credential reuse.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special characters in SQL statements [CWE-74]. The change_password.php script fails to validate or sanitize user-supplied input before including it in database queries. Prepared statements or parameterized queries are not used. Any single quote, comment sequence, or SQL keyword submitted through the Current field is interpreted by the database engine as part of the query.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based over standard HTTP or HTTPS. An authenticated employer user submits a crafted request to the password change endpoint. The Current POST parameter carries the SQL injection payload. Because a public exploit exists, automated scanners and low-skill attackers can weaponize the flaw quickly. See the GitHub CVE Assessment for technical proof-of-concept details.

// No verified exploit code is published in NVD.
// Refer to the linked VulDB and GitHub assessment for payload structure.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-14701

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected POST requests to /employer/details/change_password.php containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION, or SLEEP( in the Current field.
Database error messages or unusually long response times returned from the password change endpoint.
Multiple failed password change attempts followed by successful authentication from the same source IP.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall (WAF) signatures that inspect the Current parameter for SQL injection patterns.
Enable database query logging and alert on syntactically anomalous queries originating from the password change function.
Correlate authentication logs with HTTP access logs to identify low-privilege accounts probing the endpoint.

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor outbound database traffic for out-of-band exfiltration attempts, such as DNS lookups triggered by LOAD_FILE or xp_cmdshell payloads.
Track query execution times against change_password.php for time-based blind SQL injection indicators.
Review employer account activity for unauthorized privilege changes or data access after password change events.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-14701

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the employer/details/change_password.php endpoint to trusted networks until a fix is deployed.
Rotate database credentials and audit stored password hashes if exploitation is suspected.
Deploy WAF rules that block SQL metacharacters in the Current parameter.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is currently listed in the NVD entry or referenced advisories. Administrators should consult the VulDB CVE Details and Code Projects Resource pages for updates. In the absence of an upstream fix, apply source-level remediation by replacing string concatenation in change_password.php with parameterized queries or prepared statements.

Workarounds

Rewrite the affected query to use PDO or MySQLi prepared statements with bound parameters.
Enforce strict input validation on the Current field, rejecting any input containing SQL syntax.
Apply least-privilege principles to the database account used by the application, removing DDL and administrative rights.
Consider taking the Internship Management System offline if it is exposed to untrusted networks and no patch is available.

bash

# Example: replace vulnerable concatenation with a prepared statement (PHP/PDO)
$stmt = $pdo->prepare('SELECT id FROM employers WHERE id = :uid AND password = :current');
$stmt->execute([':uid' => $userId, ':current' => hash('sha256', $_POST['Current'])]);