CVE-2020-22164 in Hospital Management System in PHP
Summary
by MITRE • 06/22/2021
PHPGurukul Hospital Management System in PHP v4.0 has a SQL injection vulnerability in \hms\check_availability.php. Remote unauthenticated users can exploit the vulnerability to obtain database sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2021
The CVE-2020-22164 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the PHPGurukul Hospital Management System version 4.0, specifically affecting the \hms directory component. This vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's database interaction layers, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to manipulate backend database queries through crafted user inputs. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects a healthcare management system, which typically handles sensitive patient data and critical medical information, making it an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking to access confidential medical records.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into SQL query construction without proper parameterization or input filtering. Attackers can manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through input fields or parameters that are processed by the system. This flaw falls under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities, and represents a classic example of improper input validation that enables unauthorized database access. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution threat when combined with other exploitation techniques, as it allows attackers to potentially extract, modify, or delete sensitive patient data, medical records, and administrative information stored within the system's database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to critical healthcare information. In a hospital management context, this vulnerability could enable attackers to access patient medical histories, treatment records, personal identification information, and other sensitive data that would violate privacy regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR. The attack surface is particularly dangerous because hospital management systems often contain extensive databases with interconnected patient records, staff information, billing data, and administrative functions that can be leveraged for further attacks within the organization's network. The vulnerability also poses risks for data integrity, as attackers could potentially modify patient records or disrupt critical healthcare operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected PHPGurukul Hospital Management System version 4.0, as well as implementation of comprehensive input validation and parameterized query execution throughout the application. Organizations should enforce the principle of least privilege for database connections and implement proper access controls to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor for suspicious database access patterns and SQL injection attempts. The remediation process must include thorough code review to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, as well as implementation of web application firewalls to filter malicious SQL injection payloads. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure ongoing protection against similar threats, with particular attention to the ATT&CK framework's T1190 technique for SQL injection attacks, which emphasizes the importance of preventing unauthorized database access through proper application security controls.