CVE-2026-5197: Student Membership System SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2026-5197 Overview

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in code-projects Student Membership System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /delete_user.php file, where the ID parameter is not properly sanitized before being used in SQL queries. This allows remote authenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion within the database.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to manipulate database queries, potentially accessing sensitive student membership data, modifying records, or compromising the entire database backend.

Affected Products

• code-projects Student Membership System 1.0
• File: /delete_user.php
• Parameter: ID

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-31 - CVE-2026-5197 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-5197

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), commonly manifesting as SQL injection. The /delete_user.php endpoint accepts user-supplied input through the ID parameter without implementing adequate input validation or parameterized queries. When this unsanitized input is concatenated directly into SQL statements, attackers can break out of the intended query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands.

The network-based attack vector allows remote exploitation with low complexity, requiring only low-level user privileges. The vulnerability can impact the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system's database, though the scope is limited to the vulnerable component itself. Proof-of-concept exploit code has been made publicly available, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to implement proper input sanitization and parameterized queries in the /delete_user.php file. The application directly incorporates user-supplied data from the ID parameter into SQL statements without escaping special characters or using prepared statements. This classic coding flaw allows attackers to inject SQL syntax that alters the intended query logic.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and can be launched remotely by any authenticated user with access to the vulnerable endpoint. An attacker can craft malicious requests to the /delete_user.php file with specially crafted ID parameter values containing SQL injection payloads. These payloads can manipulate the underlying database queries to extract data, bypass authentication, modify records, or execute database administrative operations depending on the database user's privileges.

The vulnerability is exploited by injecting SQL syntax into the ID parameter. For example, instead of providing a legitimate numeric ID value, an attacker could supply input containing SQL operators and commands that alter the query's behavior. Common techniques include using single quotes to break out of string contexts, UNION-based injection to retrieve data from other tables, or boolean-based blind injection to extract information character by character. Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available in the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB Vulnerability Report #354295.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5197

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP requests to /delete_user.php with suspicious ID parameter values containing SQL syntax characters (quotes, semicolons, UNION, SELECT keywords)
• Database error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors
• Unexpected database queries or data access patterns in database audit logs
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in requests to /delete_user.php
• Implement application-level input validation logging to capture requests with potentially malicious payloads
• Enable database query logging and monitor for anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with SQL injection signature rules targeting the affected endpoint

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /delete_user.php containing URL-encoded SQL injection patterns
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions originating from the delete_user functionality
• Review database audit logs for unusual DELETE, SELECT, or UNION operations that deviate from normal application behavior
• Implement real-time monitoring of database query execution times to detect time-based blind SQL injection attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5197

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the /delete_user.php endpoint until a patch is applied
• Implement WAF rules to block requests containing SQL injection patterns in the ID parameter
• Review and audit database access permissions to limit the impact of potential exploitation
• Enable detailed logging for the affected endpoint to detect exploitation attempts

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been identified at this time. Organizations using code-projects Student Membership System 1.0 should contact the vendor or refer to the Code Projects Security Resources for updates. Additional vulnerability information is available through VulDB Submission ID #780402.

Workarounds

• Implement prepared statements or parameterized queries in the /delete_user.php file to prevent SQL injection
• Add strict input validation to ensure the ID parameter only accepts numeric values
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules as an interim protective measure
• Consider disabling or restricting access to the user deletion functionality until proper fixes are implemented

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in ID parameter
SecRule ARGS:ID "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in ID parameter',\
    logdata:'Matched Data: %{MATCHED_VAR}',\
    severity:CRITICAL"