CVE-2022-32348 in Hospitals Patient Records Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 06/14/2022
Hospital's Patient Records Management System v1.0 is vulnerable to SQL Injection via /hprms/classes/Master.php?f=delete_doctor.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-32348 affects the Hospital Patient Records Management System version 1.0, specifically exposing a SQL injection flaw through the endpoint /hprms/classes/Master.php?f=delete_doctor. This represents a critical security weakness that allows unauthorized actors to manipulate the underlying database through malicious input. The system's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters creates an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of patient medical records. The vulnerability resides in the delete_doctor function which likely processes user input without adequate validation or parameterization, making it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors seeking to gain unauthorized access to sensitive healthcare data.
This SQL injection vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it targets a function responsible for deleting doctor records, suggesting that an attacker could potentially manipulate the deletion process to either delete legitimate records or gain access to unauthorized data. The exploitation of this vulnerability could enable adversaries to perform data tampering, information disclosure, or even complete system compromise depending on the database permissions and the underlying system architecture. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the critical need for secure coding methodologies in healthcare information systems where data protection is paramount.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass serious implications for patient safety and healthcare delivery. An attacker could potentially delete critical doctor information, disrupt healthcare operations, or extract sensitive patient medical data through unauthorized database access. The healthcare industry's regulatory compliance requirements, including HIPAA and other data protection frameworks, make such vulnerabilities particularly dangerous as they could result in significant legal and financial consequences. The vulnerability affects not only the integrity of patient records but also the availability and confidentiality aspects of the healthcare information system, potentially leading to service disruptions and breach notifications that could damage the organization's reputation and trustworthiness.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-32348 should prioritize immediate implementation of parameterized queries and input validation mechanisms to prevent SQL injection attacks. The system should employ prepared statements or parameterized queries when interacting with the database to ensure that user input is properly escaped and treated as data rather than executable code. Additionally, comprehensive input validation should be implemented at multiple layers including application-level filtering and database-level access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other endpoints and functions within the system. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect and alert on suspicious database access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive functions within the system, thereby reducing the attack surface and limiting potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.