CVE-2022-28530 in Covid-19 Directory on Vaccination
Summary
by MITRE • 05/05/2022
Sourcecodester Covid-19 Directory on Vaccination System 1.0 is vulnerable to SQL Injection via cmdcategory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2022
The CVE-2022-28530 vulnerability affects the Sourcecodester Covid-19 Directory on Vaccination System version 1.0, representing a critical security flaw that exposes the application to unauthorized data access and manipulation. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the cmdcategory parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious actors to exploit the system's database interactions. The affected application appears to be a web-based platform designed to manage vaccination directory information, making it a potentially sensitive system for handling personal health data. The vulnerability resides in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized before being processed in database queries. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious SQL commands that can manipulate the underlying database structure or extract confidential information.
The technical implementation of this SQL injection vulnerability occurs when the application processes the cmdcategory parameter without adequate sanitization or parameterization. When a user submits data through this parameter, the system directly incorporates it into SQL queries without proper escaping or validation, allowing attackers to construct malicious payloads that can alter the intended query execution. This flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is used in database queries without proper input validation or parameterization. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data retrieval, modification, deletion, or even privilege escalation within the database environment. The impact is particularly concerning given that the application handles vaccination directory information, which typically contains sensitive personal health data that requires protection under privacy regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both the integrity and confidentiality of the vaccination directory system. Attackers could potentially extract sensitive information about vaccinated individuals, modify vaccination records, or even gain administrative access to the system through database manipulation. The attack surface is relatively narrow since it specifically targets the cmdcategory parameter, but this targeted approach makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires minimal reconnaissance to exploit. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor application security practices, indicating that the development team may have overlooked fundamental security principles in input handling and database interaction. This weakness can be leveraged by attackers at various skill levels, making it a particularly attractive target for automated exploitation tools. The potential for data breaches increases significantly when considering that vaccination records often contain personally identifiable information that could be monetized on the dark web or used for identity theft purposes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-28530 should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. The most effective immediate solution involves updating the application code to use prepared statements or parameterized queries for all database interactions, particularly those involving user-supplied data through the cmdcategory parameter. Organizations should also implement proper input sanitization measures that validate and filter all incoming data before processing, ensuring that malicious SQL payloads cannot be executed. Additionally, web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns targeting the affected parameter. The remediation process should include thorough code review and security testing to identify other potential injection points within the application. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for web application security. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other parts of the application or related systems. Organizations should also consider implementing database access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized database activities that may indicate exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of remote services, and T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol manipulation. These classifications indicate that the attack vector involves exploiting a remote service through manipulation of application protocols, specifically targeting the web application's database interface. The remediation approach should include implementing defense-in-depth strategies that combine multiple security controls to protect against various attack vectors and reduce the overall attack surface of the application.