CVE-2026-2848: Tourism Website SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2026-2848 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Simple Responsive Tourism Website version 1.0. This vulnerability exists in an unknown functionality of the file /classes/Master.php?f=register within the Registration component. Manipulation of the Username argument allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands. The attack can be initiated remotely without authentication, and exploit details have been publicly disclosed.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection flaw to manipulate database queries, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise.

Affected Products

• SourceCodester Simple Responsive Tourism Website 1.0
• oretnom23 simple_responsive_tourism_website

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-20 - CVE-2026-2848 published to NVD
• 2026-02-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-2848

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the user registration functionality in the Simple Responsive Tourism Website application. The vulnerable endpoint /classes/Master.php?f=register fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the Username parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This lack of input validation allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands that will be executed by the underlying database.

The vulnerability is classified under both CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) and CWE-89 (SQL Injection), indicating insufficient input sanitization at multiple levels of the application. The network-accessible nature of this flaw means that any remote attacker can target vulnerable installations without requiring prior authentication or user interaction.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and improper handling of user-supplied data in the registration functionality. The application directly incorporates the Username parameter value into database queries without proper parameterization or sanitization. This allows special SQL characters and commands to pass through unfiltered, enabling SQL injection attacks.

The absence of prepared statements or parameterized queries in the PHP code processing registration requests creates a direct pathway for SQL injection exploitation. Additionally, there appears to be no input filtering or escaping mechanism in place to neutralize potentially malicious characters.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request to the /classes/Master.php?f=register endpoint, inserting SQL payloads into the Username parameter. When the application processes this request, the malicious SQL commands are executed against the backend database.

Exploitation typically involves injecting SQL syntax such as single quotes, UNION statements, or boolean-based payloads to extract data, bypass authentication, or manipulate database contents. The publicly disclosed exploit provides attackers with readily available attack techniques.

For technical details regarding the exploitation methodology, refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB #347084.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-2848

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages in web server logs associated with /classes/Master.php?f=register
• Suspicious requests containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, INSERT, DROP) in the Username parameter
• Unexpected database query patterns or authentication anomalies in application logs
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in registration requests
• Monitor HTTP requests to /classes/Master.php?f=register for suspicious characters and SQL keywords
• Implement database query logging and alert on anomalous query structures
• Configure IDS/IPS signatures to detect common SQL injection payloads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all requests to the Registration component
• Set up real-time alerting for SQL injection attack patterns in web traffic
• Monitor database access logs for unusual query executions or privilege escalation attempts
• Conduct regular log reviews focusing on authentication and registration endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-2848

Immediate Actions Required

• Take the vulnerable registration functionality offline until a patch is applied
• Implement Web Application Firewall rules to block SQL injection attempts
• Review database logs for signs of prior exploitation
• Restrict network access to the application where possible

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no official patch information has been provided by the vendor. Organizations using SourceCodester Simple Responsive Tourism Website 1.0 should monitor the SourceCodester website for security updates. In the absence of an official patch, consider implementing the workarounds described below or migrating to an alternative solution.

For additional technical context and updates, refer to the VulDB CTI ID #347084.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements and parameterized queries in the registration PHP code
• Add server-side input validation to sanitize the Username parameter before database operations
• Deploy a WAF with SQL injection protection rules in front of the application
• Disable or restrict access to the registration functionality until properly secured
• Consider implementing additional authentication layers to limit exposure

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in registration
SecRule ARGS:Username "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:100001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in Username parameter',\
    log,\
    auditlog"