CVE-2026-5531: Student Result Management System Disclosure

CVE-2026-5531 Overview

A sensitive data exposure vulnerability has been identified in SourceCodester Student Result Management System 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the HTTP GET Request Handler component, specifically involving the file /login_credentials.txt. This security flaw allows sensitive authentication credentials to be stored in cleartext on disk, making them accessible to remote attackers who can retrieve the file via HTTP requests.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can access plaintext authentication credentials stored in /login_credentials.txt, potentially leading to unauthorized access to the student result management system and compromise of user accounts.

Affected Products

• SourceCodester Student Result Management System 1.0
• HTTP GET Request Handler component
• Systems with exposed /login_credentials.txt file

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-04-05 - CVE CVE-2026-5531 published to NVD
• 2026-04-07 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-5531

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information). The Student Result Management System stores user authentication credentials in a plaintext text file (/login_credentials.txt) that is accessible via the web server. This represents a fundamental violation of secure credential storage practices, as sensitive authentication data should never be stored in cleartext format, especially in web-accessible locations.

The attack can be initiated remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker simply needs to send an HTTP GET request to retrieve the credentials file, which would expose usernames and passwords in plaintext format. This could lead to account takeover, unauthorized access to student records, and potential data manipulation within the academic management system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper handling of sensitive credential data. The application stores login credentials in a plaintext file (/login_credentials.txt) that is accessible through the web server's document root. This design flaw violates security best practices which mandate that credentials should be hashed using strong cryptographic algorithms and stored in secure database backends, not in publicly accessible text files.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or privileges. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Discovering the target system running SourceCodester Student Result Management System 1.0
2. Sending a direct HTTP GET request to /login_credentials.txt
3. Retrieving the plaintext credentials from the server response
4. Using the obtained credentials to gain unauthorized access to the system

The exploit has been disclosed publicly and may be actively used. Technical details are available through VulDB Entry #355284.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5531

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP GET requests targeting /login_credentials.txt or similar credential storage files
• Unusual access patterns to text files in the web root directory
• Authentication attempts using credentials that should not be known externally
• Web server logs showing direct file access to configuration or credential files

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /login_credentials.txt and similar sensitive file paths
• Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on credential storage locations to detect unauthorized access
• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to block direct access to sensitive configuration files
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on suspicious file retrieval patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed HTTP access logging and review logs for credential file access attempts
• Set up real-time alerting for any access attempts to files matching patterns like *credential*, *password*, or *login* in the web root
• Monitor for authentication anomalies following potential credential exposure events
• Implement user behavior analytics to detect account compromise resulting from stolen credentials

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5531

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately remove the /login_credentials.txt file from the web-accessible directory
• Implement proper credential storage using password hashing (bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2) in a secure database
• Restrict web server access to sensitive files using .htaccess rules or equivalent server configuration
• Force password resets for all users whose credentials may have been exposed
• Conduct a security audit to identify any similar cleartext credential storage issues

Patch Information

As of the last update on 2026-04-07, no official patch has been released by SourceCodester for this vulnerability. Organizations using this software should implement the recommended workarounds immediately and consider migrating to a more secure student management solution. Check the SourceCodester website for potential updates.

Workarounds

• Block access to /login_credentials.txt at the web server level using directory restrictions
• Move credential storage to a secure database with proper password hashing implementation
• Implement file extension filtering to prevent serving .txt files from the web root
• Use web server configuration to deny access to files outside intended public directories

# Apache .htaccess configuration to block access to sensitive files
<FilesMatch "(?i)(login_credentials\.txt|password|credential|\.bak|\.sql)$">
    Require all denied
</FilesMatch>

# Or deny access to specific file
<Files "login_credentials.txt">
    Require all denied
</Files>