CVE-2026-86280: SourceCodester LMS Information Disclosure

CVE-2026-86280 Overview

CVE-2026-86280 is an information disclosure vulnerability in SourceCodester Syllabus-Aligned Learning Management & Examination System 1.0. The flaw affects the cict_portal.sql database file, which stores sensitive information in cleartext. An attacker can access this data remotely without authentication or user interaction. The issue is categorized under [CWE-310] (Cryptographic Issues) and involves the exposure of sensitive information through unencrypted storage. A public exploit is referenced, increasing the likelihood of opportunistic abuse against exposed installations.

Critical Impact
Remote attackers can retrieve sensitive information stored in cleartext within the application's SQL file, potentially exposing user credentials and application data.

Affected Products

SourceCodester Syllabus-Aligned Learning Management & Examination System 1.0
Affected file: cict_portal.sql
No vendor patch metadata currently listed in NVD

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-07 - CVE-2026-86280 published to NVD
2026-09-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-86280

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the handling of the cict_portal.sql file distributed with the Syllabus-Aligned Learning Management & Examination System. The file contains sensitive application data, including credential material, stored without encryption or hashing. Because the SQL artifact is accessible or recoverable in cleartext form, an attacker who reaches the file over the network can read its contents directly. The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction to exploit, and public disclosure of the flaw increases exposure for internet-facing deployments. The confidentiality impact is limited to the data present in the file, with no direct integrity or availability impact.

Root Cause

The root cause is cleartext storage of sensitive information [CWE-310]. Application data — including authentication material — is persisted in an unencrypted SQL file rather than being protected using strong password hashing (for example, bcrypt or Argon2) or encryption at rest. When the file is readable by an unauthenticated party, the sensitive contents are directly disclosed.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network. An unauthenticated attacker requests or otherwise obtains the cict_portal.sql file and parses its contents to harvest credentials and other sensitive fields. Because the file already contains the data in cleartext, no decryption, cracking, or additional privilege is required. Harvested credentials can then be reused against the application or against other systems where users have reused passwords. Public availability of the vulnerability report lowers the barrier to reproduction. See the GitHub Vulnerability Report and VulDB CVE-2026-86280 for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-86280

Indicators of Compromise

Web server access log entries requesting cict_portal.sql or similar .sql artifacts
HTTP responses returning SQL dump content types or large plaintext SQL payloads to unauthenticated clients
Anomalous downloads of database backup or seed files from application document roots
Post-exposure credential-stuffing or password-reuse attempts against user accounts

Detection Strategies

Inspect application document roots and public directories for exposed .sql, .bak, or database dump files.
Enable web application firewall (WAF) rules to block requests targeting known-sensitive filenames such as cict_portal.sql.
Perform authenticated and unauthenticated vulnerability scans against deployments to enumerate publicly reachable database artifacts.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on any HTTP 200 response serving .sql files from application paths.
Monitor authentication logs for spikes in failed logins that could indicate use of leaked credentials.
Baseline outbound data transfer from web servers to flag bulk file exfiltration.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-86280

Immediate Actions Required

Remove the cict_portal.sql file and any other database dumps from web-accessible directories.
Restrict web server configuration to deny direct requests for .sql, .bak, and similar backup extensions.
Rotate all credentials contained in the exposed SQL file, and force password resets for affected user accounts.
Audit historical web server logs to determine whether the file has already been retrieved by unauthorized parties.

Patch Information

No vendor patch is listed in NVD at the time of publication. Monitor the SourceCodester project page and VulDB entry for CVE-2026-86280 for updates. Until an official fix is available, apply the workarounds below and treat any deployment as potentially compromised if the file was ever publicly reachable.

Workarounds

Store credentials using a modern password hashing algorithm such as bcrypt or Argon2 instead of cleartext.
Move seed and migration SQL files outside of the web server document root.
Enforce access control lists on database export files so that only trusted operators can read them.
Deploy a WAF rule set that blocks requests to filenames matching common database dump patterns.

bash

# Configuration example: deny access to SQL and backup files in Apache
<FilesMatch "\.(sql|bak|dump|old|backup)$">
    Require all denied
</FilesMatch>

# Equivalent for Nginx
location ~* \.(sql|bak|dump|old|backup)$ {
    deny all;
    return 404;
}