CVE-2020-23935 in Student Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Kabir Alhasan Student Management System 1.0 is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass via "Username: admin'# && Password: (Write Something)".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2025
The Kabir Alhasan Student Management System version 1.0 contains a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that stems from improper input validation and insecure query construction within its authentication mechanism. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative access to the system by exploiting a SQL injection vulnerability in the login process. The specific attack vector involves crafting a malicious username input that terminates the SQL query with a single quote character followed by a logical operator and comment syntax, effectively bypassing the authentication checks that should validate user credentials before granting access to the system's administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic SQL injection flaw where the application directly incorporates user input into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. When an attacker submits the payload "Username: admin'# && Password: (Write Something)", the system processes this input by constructing a SQL query that concatenates the malicious username with the existing query structure. The single quote character terminates the intended query string, while the comment syntax prevents the remainder of the SQL statement from executing, allowing the attacker to bypass the normal authentication flow and gain immediate administrative privileges. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, specifically manifesting as an authentication bypass through manipulated input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the student management system. Once authenticated, an attacker can manipulate all student records, modify user accounts, access confidential academic data, and potentially escalate privileges to other system components. The vulnerability affects the system's integrity and confidentiality, as unauthorized parties can alter or steal sensitive information including student personal details, academic records, and institutional data. Additionally, the compromise of administrative access can lead to further lateral movement within the network infrastructure, as attackers may use the administrative account to access other connected systems or databases.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the credential access and privilege escalation domains. Attackers can leverage this authentication bypass to establish persistent access to the system, potentially using the administrative account to install backdoors or exfiltrate data over time. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper authentication mechanisms to prevent such vulnerabilities. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to a patched version of the Student Management System, implementing proper SQL query parameterization, and conducting thorough security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.