CVE-2022-2676 in Electronic Medical Records System
Summary
by MITRE • 08/06/2022
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Electronic Medical Records System and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the component POST Request Handler. The manipulation of the argument user_email leads to sql injection. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-205664.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2676 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the SourceCodester Electronic Medical Records System, demonstrating a fundamental weakness in the application's data handling mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically targets the POST Request Handler component, which serves as a critical interface for processing user submissions and system interactions. The flaw manifests when the user_email parameter within the POST request is manipulated, allowing attackers to inject malicious sql commands directly into the database layer. The exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote access, eliminating the need for physical system presence or local network access, which significantly broadens the attack surface and increases the potential impact. The disclosure of the exploit to the public community means that malicious actors can readily implement this attack without requiring advanced technical skills or specialized knowledge.
The technical implementation of this sql injection vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's request handling process. When the system processes the user_email parameter without proper escaping or parameterization, it allows attackers to inject sql payload strings that can manipulate the underlying database queries. This flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper validation. The attack vector operates through the standard http post requests that the medical records system accepts, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed through web browsers or automated attack tools. The remote nature of the exploit enables attackers to target the system from anywhere on the internet, potentially compromising thousands of medical records stored within the database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, representing a severe threat to patient privacy and healthcare data integrity. Medical records contain highly sensitive personal information including medical histories, treatment details, and personal identifiers that could be exploited for identity theft, insurance fraud, or other malicious purposes. The sql injection attack could potentially allow full database access, enabling attackers to read, modify, or delete patient records, and could also facilitate privilege escalation attacks that might grant administrative access to the entire system. This vulnerability directly violates the principles of confidentiality, integrity, and availability as outlined in the cybersecurity triad, potentially exposing the healthcare organization to significant regulatory penalties under data protection laws such as hipaa. The critical classification indicates that the vulnerability can be exploited to cause substantial damage to the system's operations and the organization's reputation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2676 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements to protect healthcare data. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application's codebase, specifically within the POST Request Handler component that processes user_email parameters. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious sql injection attempts, while also implementing proper output encoding to prevent malicious payloads from being executed. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components, as sql injection remains one of the most prevalent web application threats. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and database query monitoring can help detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, healthcare organizations should ensure compliance with industry standards such as those defined by the national institute of standards and technology and the healthcare information and management systems society guidelines for protecting sensitive medical data. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and regular security training for development teams to prevent similar issues in future software releases.