CVE-2026-76048: Simple Online Food Ordering System SQLi

CVE-2026-76048 Overview

CVE-2026-76048 is a SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Simple Online Food Ordering System 1.0. The flaw resides in the login handler at /admin/ajax.php?action=login, where the Username parameter is passed to a backend database query without proper sanitization. Remote attackers can manipulate the parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. A public exploit has been released, lowering the barrier to abuse. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-74] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component).

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject SQL commands through the admin login endpoint, potentially bypassing authentication and extracting or modifying data in the application database.

Affected Products

SourceCodester Simple Online Food Ordering System 1.0
Deployments exposing /admin/ajax.php to untrusted networks
Forks and derivatives that reuse the vulnerable login handler

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-19 - CVE-2026-76048 published to NVD
2026-08-20 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-76048

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability affects the administrative authentication endpoint in Simple Online Food Ordering System 1.0. When a client posts credentials to /admin/ajax.php?action=login, the server-side handler concatenates the supplied Username value directly into a SQL statement. An attacker can submit crafted input containing SQL metacharacters to alter query logic.

Because the endpoint is reachable without prior authentication, exploitation requires no valid credentials or user interaction. The attack proceeds over the network against any exposed instance. A working exploit has been published, meaning proof-of-concept payloads are already in circulation.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of parameterized queries or input validation on the Username field within the login action of ajax.php. User-controlled data flows into the SQL statement without escaping, satisfying the classic conditions for injection under [CWE-74].

Attack Vector

The attack vector is a standard HTTP POST request to the login action of the admin AJAX handler. An attacker submits a Username value containing SQL syntax, such as a tautology, comment sequence, or UNION-based payload, alongside any Password value. The server evaluates the injected clause and returns a response reflecting the modified query result, which can enable authentication bypass or data extraction. Refer to the GitHub CVE Issue Discussion and VulDB entry for CVE-2026-76048 for the published proof of concept.

// No verified code example available. See the linked references for the published proof of concept.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-76048

Indicators of Compromise

POST requests to /admin/ajax.php?action=login containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, #, UNION, or OR 1=1 in the Username field.
Repeated authentication attempts from a single source IP with malformed or oversized Username values.
Database error messages returned in HTTP responses from ajax.php, indicating query syntax disruption.
Successful admin session establishment without a preceding valid credential submission pattern.

Detection Strategies

Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that inspects POST bodies to ajax.php?action=login for SQL injection signatures.
Enable database query logging and alert on anomalous SELECT statements originating from the login handler.
Correlate web server access logs with authentication events to identify logins that lack corresponding valid credential flows.

Monitoring Recommendations

Baseline normal request volume and payload length for the login endpoint, then alert on statistical deviations.
Forward web server, application, and database logs to a centralized platform for correlation and retention.
Monitor for outbound data transfers from the database host that follow suspicious login activity.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-76048

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to /admin/ paths using IP allowlisting or a VPN until a code fix is applied.
Rotate all administrator credentials and any database secrets that could have been exposed.
Review web server and database logs for injection attempts against ajax.php?action=login.
Take the application offline if internet-exposed and no compensating controls are available.

Patch Information

No vendor patch has been published in the referenced sources at the time of NVD publication. Operators should monitor the SourceCodester website and the VulDB Vulnerability #391949 record for updates. Until a patch is available, code owners should modify the login handler to use prepared statements with bound parameters for the Username and Password values.

Workarounds

Place the application behind a WAF configured to block SQL injection patterns on the login endpoint.
Modify admin/ajax.php to validate that Username matches an expected character set before it reaches any SQL query.
Enforce least privilege on the database account used by the application so that a successful injection cannot read or modify unrelated tables.
Disable or remove the admin AJAX endpoint if it is not required in the current deployment.

bash

# Example: block requests containing common SQL injection tokens at the reverse proxy
# nginx snippet
location /admin/ajax.php {
    if ($args ~* "action=login") {
        set $sqli 1;
    }
    if ($request_body ~* "(--|\bunion\b|\bor\b\s+1=1|';)") {
        set $sqli "${sqli}1";
    }
    if ($sqli = "11") {
        return 403;
    }
}