CVE-2026-4532: Simple Food Ordering Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2026-4532 Overview

A security vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Simple Food Ordering System up to version 1.0 that allows unauthorized access to sensitive files and directories. The vulnerability exists in the Database Backup Handler component, specifically affecting the file /food/sql/food.sql. This information disclosure flaw enables remote attackers to access database backup files that should be protected from external access.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can access sensitive database backup files containing potentially sensitive information including user credentials, order data, and application configuration details.

Affected Products

• code-projects Simple Food Ordering System version 1.0 and earlier
• Database Backup Handler component (/food/sql/food.sql)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-22 - CVE-2026-4532 published to NVD
• 2026-03-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-4532

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-425 (Direct Request / Forced Browsing), which occurs when a web application fails to properly restrict access to sensitive files and directories. In the case of the Simple Food Ordering System, the database backup file located at /food/sql/food.sql is directly accessible via web requests without any authentication or authorization checks.

The root issue stems from improper access control configuration that allows the SQL database backup file to be served by the web server. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because database backup files typically contain the complete database schema, stored data, and potentially sensitive information such as user credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), and business-critical data.

The attack can be initiated remotely over the network, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker simply needs to know or guess the path to the backup file to retrieve its contents.

Root Cause

The vulnerability is caused by improper access control configuration in the web application's deployment. The /food/sql/ directory containing database backup files is accessible from the web root without proper access restrictions. This misconfiguration allows direct HTTP requests to retrieve sensitive SQL files that should be protected from external access.

Web applications should never store database backups within publicly accessible directories, or if they must be stored there, proper access controls (such as .htaccess rules for Apache or equivalent web server configurations) should prevent direct access to these files.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, allowing remote exploitation. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by performing the following actions:

1. Identify or enumerate the target Simple Food Ordering System installation
2. Send a direct HTTP GET request to /food/sql/food.sql
3. Retrieve the complete database backup file
4. Extract sensitive information from the SQL dump

The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of exploitation in the wild. The attack requires no special privileges, authentication, or user interaction, making it trivially exploitable by any attacker with network access to the vulnerable application.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4532

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP access logs showing requests to /food/sql/food.sql or similar SQL file paths
• Unusual volume of requests targeting backup or SQL file extensions (.sql, .bak, .dump)
• Access attempts from external IP addresses to sensitive file directories
• Web server logs indicating successful 200 responses for SQL file requests

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web server access logs for direct requests to SQL files and backup directories
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block requests for common database file extensions
• Configure intrusion detection systems to alert on file enumeration patterns targeting backup locations
• Review access control configurations to ensure sensitive directories are properly protected

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all requests to the /food/sql/ directory and similar sensitive paths
• Set up alerts for any successful access to database backup files from external IP addresses
• Implement file integrity monitoring on database backup directories to detect unauthorized access
• Regularly audit web server configurations to ensure proper access restrictions are in place

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4532

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately restrict access to the /food/sql/ directory by configuring web server access controls
• Move database backup files outside of the web-accessible directory structure
• Review access logs to determine if the vulnerability has already been exploited
• Change all database credentials if there is evidence of unauthorized access to backup files

Patch Information

No official patch is currently available from the vendor. The recommended mitigation is to change the configuration settings to prevent direct access to sensitive files. Organizations should implement the following configuration changes:

For additional technical details, refer to the GitHub CVE Analysis and VulDB #352320.

Workarounds

• Configure the web server to deny access to the /food/sql/ directory using .htaccess (Apache) or equivalent configuration
• Relocate all SQL backup files to a directory outside of the web root
• Implement authentication requirements for any administrative or backup-related directories
• Use firewall rules to restrict access to sensitive file types from external networks

# Apache .htaccess configuration to block access to SQL files
# Place this file in the web root directory
<FilesMatch "\.(sql|bak|dump|backup)$">
    Order Allow,Deny
    Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

# Alternative: Block entire directory
<Directory "/var/www/html/food/sql">
    Order Allow,Deny
    Deny from all
</Directory>