CVE-2022-32349 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_patient_history.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-32349 affects the Hospital's Patient Records Management System version 1.0, specifically targeting the delete_patient_history functionality within the Master.php file. This represents a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive patient data to unauthorized access and manipulation. The system's failure to properly sanitize user input in the parameter handling mechanism creates an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious SQL commands directly into the database query execution process. The attack vector is explicitly defined through the URL endpoint /hprms/classes/Master.php?f=delete_patient_history, indicating that the vulnerability exists within a specific function call that processes patient history deletion requests.
This SQL injection vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which classifies it as a direct SQL injection attack where user-supplied data is improperly incorporated into SQL queries without adequate sanitization or parameterization. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the underlying database structure by injecting malicious SQL code through the f parameter, potentially enabling them to extract, modify, or delete patient records with unauthorized access. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the nature of the targeted system, which handles sensitive medical information that falls under healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR compliance requirements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it creates potential for complete system compromise and patient data breaches that could result in identity theft, medical fraud, and regulatory penalties. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to complete patient medical histories, personal identification information, and treatment records that are typically protected by strict healthcare privacy laws. The implications include not only immediate data exposure but also long-term consequences such as loss of patient trust, legal liability, and potential criminal charges for healthcare organizations that fail to protect sensitive medical information.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of parameterized queries and prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks, along with comprehensive input validation and sanitization mechanisms. The system requires proper authentication and authorization controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive patient data functions. Network segmentation and database access controls should be implemented to limit exposure, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, the organization should establish incident response procedures specifically designed to address healthcare data breaches, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and minimizing potential damage from exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process must also include thorough code review and security testing of all database interaction points to prevent similar issues in other system components, aligning with the principles of secure software development practices and the ATT&CK framework's database access techniques.