CVE-2021-45348 in Attendance Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2022
An Arbitrary File Deletion vulnerability exists in SourceCodester Attendance Management System v1.0 via the csv parameter in admin/pageUploadCSV.php, which can cause a Denial of Service (crash).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2022
The CVE-2021-45348 vulnerability represents a critical arbitrary file deletion flaw within the SourceCodester Attendance Management System version 1.0 that exposes organizations to potential denial of service attacks. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the csv parameter in the admin/pageUploadCSV.php endpoint, creating a dangerous pathway for unauthorized file manipulation. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly restrict file operations, allowing malicious actors to exploit the system's file handling capabilities. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal attacks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to delete critical system files or directories, potentially leading to complete system compromise or service disruption.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious request to the admin/pageUploadCSV.php script with a specially crafted csv parameter value. The system processes this input without proper validation, treating the parameter as a legitimate file path specification that can traverse directories and delete files. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1485, which covers "Data Destruction" and can be classified as a privilege escalation vector when combined with other attack methods. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input sanitization where user-supplied data directly influences system file operations, creating an environment where arbitrary file deletion becomes possible through simple parameter manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-45348 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can lead to complete system compromise and data loss within the attendance management environment. Organizations relying on this system face potential exposure of sensitive employee attendance data, system configuration files, and potentially other critical resources that may be accessible through the same vulnerability pathway. The vulnerability's exploitation can result in cascading failures where the deletion of critical system files renders the entire attendance management system inoperable, requiring extensive recovery procedures and system restoration. This creates significant business disruption and potential regulatory compliance issues, particularly in environments where attendance tracking is critical for payroll processing, security monitoring, or audit requirements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-45348 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the affected application. The primary fix involves ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly validated and that file operations are restricted to predefined safe directories with appropriate access controls. Organizations should implement the principle of least privilege by limiting the application's file system permissions and ensuring that the web application cannot delete files outside of designated operational directories. Additionally, implementing proper parameter validation through regular expressions and input filtering can prevent malicious path traversal attempts. The system should also incorporate logging and monitoring capabilities to detect unusual file deletion patterns, enabling rapid incident response when such attacks occur. Security patches should be applied immediately to address this vulnerability, as the combination of its exploitable nature and potential for system-wide disruption makes it a high-priority remediation target.