CVE-2026-5645 Overview
A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in projectworlds Car Rental System 1.0. This vulnerability affects an unknown functionality of the file /pay.php within the Parameter Handler component. By manipulating the mpesa argument, an attacker can inject malicious SQL code to compromise the underlying database. The attack can be launched remotely over the network without authentication, and exploit details have been made publicly available, increasing the risk of exploitation.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to read, modify, or delete sensitive data from the Car Rental System database, potentially leading to full application compromise.
Affected Products
- projectworlds Car Rental System 1.0
- /pay.php Parameter Handler component
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-04-06 - CVE-2026-5645 published to NVD
- 2026-04-07 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-5645
Vulnerability Analysis
This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component) exists in the payment processing functionality of the Car Rental System. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the mpesa parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries executed against the backend database.
The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication or user interaction to exploit. When successfully exploited, an attacker can manipulate database queries to extract sensitive information, modify existing records, or potentially gain further access to the underlying system. The publicly disclosed nature of this vulnerability increases the likelihood of exploitation attempts in the wild.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the lack of parameterized queries in the /pay.php file. The application directly concatenates user-controlled input from the mpesa parameter into SQL statements without proper sanitization or the use of prepared statements. This allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based, targeting the /pay.php endpoint of the Car Rental System. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests containing SQL injection payloads in the mpesa parameter. Since no authentication is required and the attack complexity is low, remote attackers can easily probe and exploit this vulnerability.
The exploitation technique involves injecting SQL syntax through the vulnerable parameter to alter query logic. Common attack scenarios include:
- Extracting user credentials and sensitive payment information from the database
- Bypassing authentication mechanisms by manipulating query conditions
- Modifying or deleting critical application data
- Enumerating database structure and contents for further attacks
Additional technical details are available in the GitHub Issue #1 Discussion and VulDB Vulnerability #355433.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5645
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual or malformed requests to /pay.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, or UNION keywords in the mpesa parameter
- Database error messages in application logs indicating syntax errors or unexpected query behavior
- Abnormal database query patterns including time-based delays or excessive data retrieval operations
- Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database access in audit logs
Detection Strategies
- Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the /pay.php endpoint
- Implement application-level logging to capture all requests to the payment processing functionality with full parameter details
- Configure database activity monitoring to alert on suspicious query patterns or unauthorized data access
- Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor web server access logs for requests to /pay.php with suspicious parameter values containing SQL metacharacters
- Set up alerts for database errors that may indicate injection attempts, such as syntax errors or permission violations
- Track unusual data access patterns that could signify successful exploitation and data exfiltration
- Review authentication and access logs for evidence of unauthorized administrative access
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5645
Immediate Actions Required
- Implement input validation to sanitize the mpesa parameter and reject requests containing SQL injection patterns
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules to filter malicious requests
- Consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to the /pay.php endpoint until a proper fix can be applied
- Review application logs for evidence of prior exploitation attempts
Patch Information
No official vendor patch has been identified for this vulnerability at the time of publication. Organizations using projectworlds Car Rental System 1.0 should implement the workarounds described below and monitor for vendor updates. Additional vulnerability information can be found at VulDB Submission #786149.
Workarounds
- Implement parameterized queries (prepared statements) in the /pay.php file to prevent SQL injection
- Apply strict input validation on the mpesa parameter, allowing only expected characters and formats
- Use a WAF or reverse proxy with SQL injection filtering capabilities to protect the vulnerable endpoint
- Restrict network access to the application to trusted IP ranges where possible
# Example Apache mod_security rule to block SQL injection attempts
# Add to Apache configuration or .htaccess
SecRule ARGS:mpesa "@detectSQLi" \
"id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in mpesa parameter'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
