CVE-2021-43630 in Hospital Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 12/22/2021
Projectworlds Hospital Management System v1.0 is vulnerable to SQL injection via multiple parameters in add_patient.php. As a result, an authenticated malicious user can compromise the databases system and in some cases leverage this vulnerability to get remote code execution on the remote web server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2021
The CVE-2021-43630 vulnerability affects Projectworlds Hospital Management System version 1.0 and represents a critical SQL injection flaw that undermines the system's database security. This vulnerability exists within the add_patient.php component and impacts multiple input parameters, making it particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with multiple potential entry points. The flaw allows authenticated malicious users to exploit the system's database layer, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive patient information and medical records stored within the hospital management system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's database interaction code. When user-supplied data is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper parameterization or escaping mechanisms, attackers can manipulate the intended query execution flow. This allows them to inject malicious SQL commands that can alter database operations, extract confidential information, or potentially execute arbitrary code on the underlying database server. The vulnerability's classification as a CWE-89 (SQL Injection) indicates a fundamental weakness in how the application processes user input before database operations, which aligns with common web application security misconfigurations that violate the principle of least privilege and proper input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can potentially enable remote code execution on the web server hosting the hospital management system. This escalation path represents a significant security risk for healthcare organizations that store sensitive patient data, as attackers could gain full control over the database server and potentially move laterally within the network infrastructure. The authenticated nature of the attack means that adversaries would need valid user credentials, but once obtained, the vulnerability provides a pathway for privilege escalation and system compromise. This threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning) as attackers may use this vulnerability to map network services and identify additional attack vectors.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper database access controls. The system should be updated to a patched version that addresses the SQL injection flaws in the add_patient.php component and all related modules. Network segmentation and database firewalling can provide additional protection layers, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the hospital management system. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing the principle of least privilege for database accounts and ensuring that database connections use secure protocols to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.