CVE-2026-76574 Overview
CVE-2026-76574 is a SQL injection vulnerability in code-projects Hospital Information System 1.0. The flaw resides in the User::login function of the includes/users/UsersController.php file, which handles user authentication. Attackers manipulate the email parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements into the underlying database query. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication and requires no user interaction. A public exploit has been disclosed, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic exploitation against exposed deployments. The weakness 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 login endpoint to read, modify, or delete database records, and may bypass authentication entirely.
Affected Products
- code-projects Hospital Information System 1.0
- Component: User Login Handler (includes/users/UsersController.php)
- Function: User::login
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-08-19 - CVE-2026-76574 published to NVD
- 2026-08-20 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-76574
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability affects the login handler in code-projects Hospital Information System 1.0. The User::login method within includes/users/UsersController.php consumes the email argument supplied through the login form and concatenates it directly into a SQL query. This unsanitized concatenation allows an attacker to break out of the intended string context and inject additional SQL syntax. Because the endpoint is reachable pre-authentication, the attack surface includes any internet-exposed installation. The publication of proof-of-concept material on GitHub raises the probability of active scanning and exploitation attempts.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input neutralization on the email parameter processed by User::login. The code does not use parameterized queries or prepared statements. User-supplied input is inserted verbatim into the query string, allowing attacker-controlled SQL fragments to alter query logic. This is a textbook instance of [CWE-74] improper neutralization of special elements.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only network access to the login page. An attacker submits a crafted email value containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, comment sequences, and UNION-based payloads. Successful injection can be used to bypass authentication by returning a truthy result set, extract database contents including patient records and credentials, or modify data. The referenced GitHub CVE Issue Discussion documents the exploitation payload observed by the reporter. Further technical context is available in the VulDB CVE-2026-76574 Entry.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-76574
Indicators of Compromise
- Web server access logs showing POST requests to the login endpoint containing SQL metacharacters such as ', --, UNION SELECT, OR 1=1, or SLEEP( in the email parameter.
- Unusually long or URL-encoded values submitted in the email field of login requests.
- Database error messages returned to clients following authentication attempts, indicating malformed queries.
- Successful logins from unexpected source IPs without matching prior failed authentication attempts.
Detection Strategies
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules that inspect the email parameter of the Hospital Information System login endpoint for SQL injection signatures.
- Enable database query logging and alert on authentication queries containing tautologies, stacked statements, or UNION operators.
- Correlate high-volume login failures with subsequent successful logins from the same source to identify injection-based bypass.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest web server, application, and database logs into a centralized analytics platform for cross-source correlation.
- Baseline normal login request payload structure and alert on statistical anomalies in parameter length or character distribution.
- Monitor outbound database connections from the application server for exfiltration patterns following suspicious login activity.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-76574
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network exposure of the Hospital Information System login page to trusted networks or place it behind a VPN until a fix is available.
- Deploy WAF signatures blocking SQL injection payloads targeting the email parameter on the login endpoint.
- Review database and application logs for evidence of prior exploitation attempts referencing the public proof of concept.
- Rotate database credentials and any user accounts that may have been exposed if compromise is suspected.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, no vendor patch has been released by code-projects for Hospital Information System 1.0. Refer to the Code Projects Resource Hub for updated releases. Administrators of internally maintained forks should replace concatenated SQL with parameterized queries or prepared statements in User::login within includes/users/UsersController.php and apply strict input validation to the email parameter.
Workarounds
- Implement server-side input validation that rejects non-RFC-compliant email formats before the value reaches the database layer.
- Refactor User::login to use prepared statements with bound parameters, eliminating string concatenation in SQL construction.
- Apply least-privilege permissions to the database account used by the application to limit the impact of a successful injection.
- Consider taking the application offline if it processes protected health information and cannot be adequately isolated until patched.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
