CVE-2021-45852 in Hospital Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2022
An issue was discovered in Projectworlds Hospital Management System v1.0. Unauthorized malicious attackers can add patients without restriction via add_patient.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-45852 represents a critical authorization flaw within the Projectworlds Hospital Management System version 1.0 that fundamentally undermines the system's security posture. This issue manifests as an insecure direct object reference vulnerability that allows any attacker to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to patient registration functionality. The vulnerability exists specifically within the add_patient.php component of the application, which fails to properly validate user credentials or enforce access controls before permitting patient data insertion operations. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles and creates a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the healthcare database without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication checks within the web application's patient management module. When an attacker accesses the add_patient.php endpoint, the system does not require proper user authentication or session validation before executing the patient addition process. This design flaw creates an unrestricted data entry point that enables attackers to submit patient information without undergoing the normal authentication procedures that should validate user identities and permissions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-285 which specifically addresses insufficient authorization issues in software applications, making it a direct violation of proper access control mechanisms that should be implemented at every application layer.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents severe implications for healthcare data integrity and patient privacy. An attacker exploiting this flaw can insert fabricated patient records, potentially creating duplicate entries, altering existing patient information, or introducing malicious data into the system. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it compromises the entire patient database structure and could lead to serious consequences including medical record tampering, identity theft, or disruption of healthcare services. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access points within the healthcare system, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as data exfiltration or system compromise that could affect patient care delivery and healthcare provider operations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and persistence domains, where attackers can leverage insecure authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to sensitive healthcare information. Organizations utilizing this system face significant regulatory compliance risks, particularly with healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA that mandate strict access controls and audit trails for patient data. The vulnerability creates an attack surface that could be combined with other exploits to achieve more comprehensive system compromise, making it a critical target for immediate remediation. Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation measures including access control enforcement, input validation, and monitoring of patient registration activities to detect unauthorized access attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper authentication checks before allowing access to the add_patient.php endpoint, enforcement of role-based access controls, and comprehensive input validation to prevent unauthorized data insertion. The system should be updated to require valid user credentials and session management before permitting any patient registration activities. Additionally, organizations should implement robust logging and monitoring of patient data modification activities to detect suspicious access patterns. The vulnerability represents a clear failure in the principle of least privilege and requires immediate attention to prevent potential data breaches and maintain the integrity of healthcare information systems. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws that could exist within the broader healthcare management infrastructure.