CVE-2026-75778: Task Management System 1.0 SQL Injection

CVE-2026-75778 Overview

CVE-2026-75778 is a SQL injection vulnerability in code-projects Task Management System 1.0. The flaw exists in the Operation::select_with_multiple_condition function within /index.php, which handles Login Form processing. Attackers can manipulate the email argument to inject arbitrary SQL statements. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication or user interaction. Public exploit details have been disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic attacks against exposed installations.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject SQL commands through the login form, potentially bypassing authentication and accessing backend database records.

Affected Products

code-projects Task Management System 1.0
The vulnerable component: Login Form (/index.php)
Vulnerable function: Operation::select_with_multiple_condition

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-18 - CVE-2026-75778 published to NVD
2026-08-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-75778

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component). It affects the login authentication flow of the Task Management System 1.0 application. When a user submits credentials via the Login Form, the application passes the email parameter to the Operation::select_with_multiple_condition function in /index.php. This function constructs a SQL query without properly sanitizing or parameterizing the input.

An attacker supplying crafted SQL syntax in the email field can alter the intended query logic. Successful exploitation may allow authentication bypass, extraction of stored user records, or enumeration of database schema. The attack requires no privileges and no user interaction, and it can be launched over the network.

Root Cause

The root cause is direct concatenation of user-controlled input into a SQL statement. The select_with_multiple_condition method builds its WHERE clause using the raw email argument received from the login POST request. There is no use of prepared statements, parameterized queries, or input validation against SQL metacharacters.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network against the public-facing login endpoint. An attacker sends an HTTP POST request to /index.php with a malicious payload in the email field. Typical injection payloads leverage single quotes, boolean logic, or UNION-based extraction to modify the underlying query. Because the vulnerability sits in an unauthenticated endpoint, no credentials are required. Refer to the GitHub Issue CVE Discussion and VulDB CVE-2026-75778 for additional technical detail.

No verified proof-of-concept code is reproduced here. The vulnerability mechanism follows the standard pattern of unsanitized input flowing into a dynamically constructed SQL query within the login handler.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-75778

Indicators of Compromise

POST requests to /index.php containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, --, UNION, OR 1=1, or SLEEP( in the email parameter.
Unusual database errors or extended response times originating from login requests.
Repeated failed login attempts from a single source followed by an unexpected successful session.
Web server access logs showing encoded SQL payloads (for example %27, %20OR%20) in login form submissions.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that inspect and block SQL injection patterns targeting the email parameter on login endpoints.
Enable database query logging and alert on queries containing tautologies or UNION statements originating from the application account.
Correlate authentication logs against application-tier logs to identify successful logins that lack a matching legitimate credential flow.

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor HTTP traffic to /index.php for anomalous payload sizes and non-standard characters in POST bodies.
Alert on outbound connections initiated by the web application host that fall outside normal patterns, which may indicate post-exploitation data exfiltration.
Track failed-to-successful login ratios per source IP to identify automated injection probing.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-75778

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network exposure of the Task Management System 1.0 login page until a fix is applied. Place it behind a VPN or IP allowlist where feasible.
Deploy WAF signatures that block SQL injection patterns targeting the email parameter and other login form fields.
Rotate database credentials used by the application and review the database user's privileges. Grant only the minimum access required.
Audit database logs for evidence of prior exploitation, including unexpected SELECT, UNION, or schema-enumeration queries.

Patch Information

No official vendor patch has been referenced in the available advisory data. Administrators should monitor the Code Projects Resource and the VulDB Vulnerability #391521 entry for update announcements. Until an official fix is released, apply the workarounds listed below.

Workarounds

Modify Operation::select_with_multiple_condition in /index.php to use prepared statements with parameterized queries (for example PDO with bound parameters or mysqli_prepare).
Apply server-side input validation that rejects SQL metacharacters in the email field before it reaches the query builder.
Enforce a least-privilege database account for the application, removing DROP, ALTER, and FILE permissions.
Enable generic error handling so database exceptions are not returned to the client, limiting information available to attackers.

bash

# Configuration example: block SQL injection patterns at the WAF layer
# Example ModSecurity rule targeting the login email parameter
SecRule ARGS:email "@rx (?i)(union(.*?)select|or\s+1=1|--|/\*|sleep\(|benchmark\()" \
    "id:1075778,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'Possible SQLi against Task Management System login (CVE-2026-75778)'"