CVE-2017-17611 in Doctor Search Script
Summary
by MITRE
Doctor Search Script 1.0 has SQL Injection via the /list city parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17611 affects Doctor Search Script version 1.0, a web application designed to facilitate medical professional directory services. This particular implementation contains a critical security flaw that allows unauthorized users to manipulate database queries through the list city parameter, potentially leading to complete database compromise and unauthorized data access. The script appears to be a simple directory service that enables users to search for medical professionals by geographic location, specifically by city name, which serves as the primary attack vector for this SQL injection vulnerability.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation and sanitization within the application's backend processing logic. When users submit a city name through the list parameter, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize the input before incorporating it into SQL database queries. This allows malicious actors to inject specially crafted SQL commands that bypass authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate the database structure. The vulnerability specifically targets the city parameter in the URL or POST data, where an attacker can append SQL injection payloads such as single quotes, semicolons, or union select statements to manipulate query execution flow. According to CWE standards, this represents a classic CWE-89 SQL Injection vulnerability, which falls under the broader category of injection flaws that consistently rank among the top security risks in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data retrieval manipulation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to the entire medical database, potentially accessing sensitive patient information, doctor credentials, contact details, and other confidential data. This represents a severe privacy breach that could lead to identity theft, medical fraud, and violation of healthcare data protection regulations such as HIPAA. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that medical directories often contain highly sensitive information about patients and healthcare providers, making this vulnerability attractive to both criminal organizations and state-sponsored actors seeking to exploit healthcare sector weaknesses. The vulnerability also enables potential privilege escalation attacks where attackers might gain administrative access to the database, allowing them to modify or delete critical information while establishing persistent backdoors for future access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper input validation and parameterized query construction throughout the application codebase. Organizations should implement prepared statements or parameterized queries to ensure that user input is never directly concatenated into SQL commands, which directly addresses the underlying CWE-89 vulnerability. Additionally, input sanitization measures including character filtering, length restrictions, and regular expression validation should be implemented to prevent malicious payloads from reaching the database layer. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block SQL injection attempts. The implementation of proper access controls and database user permissions ensures that even if an attacker gains access to the database, they cannot escalate privileges or access unauthorized data. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability falls under T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, with the exploitation process typically involving initial reconnaissance followed by payload delivery and privilege escalation. Regular security assessments, code reviews, and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components and ensure ongoing protection against evolving attack vectors.