CVE-2020-21012 in Hotel and Lodge Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 10/02/2021
Sourcecodester Hotel and Lodge Management System 2.0 is vulnerable to unauthenticated SQL injection and can allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the email parameter to the edit page for Customer, Room, Currency, Room Booking Details, or Tax Details.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-21012 affects the Sourcecodester Hotel and Lodge Management System version 2.0, representing a critical security flaw that exposes the application to unauthorized remote exploitation. This system, designed for hospitality management operations, contains a fundamental weakness in its input validation mechanisms that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through specifically crafted parameters. The vulnerability specifically targets the email parameter within the edit functionality of multiple core modules including Customer, Room, Currency, Room Booking Details, and Tax Details sections, creating a wide attack surface that could compromise the entire database infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper sanitization of user input within the web application's backend processing logic. When an attacker submits a malicious email parameter through the edit page interface, the system fails to properly escape or validate the input before incorporating it into SQL query structures. This lack of input sanitization creates a classic SQL injection vector where attacker-controlled data can be interpreted as part of the SQL command rather than as literal string data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication credentials to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any remote attacker without prior access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database server. This level of access enables comprehensive system compromise including data exfiltration, unauthorized data modification, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. Attackers could potentially extract sensitive customer information, manipulate room availability records, modify booking details, and access financial data related to currency and tax calculations. The vulnerability also poses significant risk to business continuity and regulatory compliance, particularly concerning customer privacy and data protection standards.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a direct instance of CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. The attack pattern aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1190 category for Exploit Public-Facing Application, where adversaries target web applications to gain unauthorized access to backend systems. Organizations utilizing this hotel management system must implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and comprehensive web application firewalls to prevent exploitation. The recommended remediation approach involves thorough code review to ensure all database interactions use prepared statements or parameterized queries, along with implementing proper input sanitization mechanisms that prevent malicious SQL code from being executed within the database context.