CVE-2022-36543 in edoc-doctor-appointment-system
Summary
by MITRE • 08/27/2022
Edoc-doctor-appointment-system v1.0.1 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /patient/doctors.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2025
The Edoc-doctor-appointment-system version 1.0.1 presents a critical SQL injection vulnerability that fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of patient data within the medical appointment management platform. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the id parameter in the /patient/doctors.php endpoint, creating an exploitable entry point that allows malicious actors to manipulate database queries and gain unauthorized access to sensitive medical information. The flaw represents a classic injection vulnerability that enables attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, modification, or complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and parameter sanitization within the application's backend processing logic. When the application processes the id parameter without proper escaping or parameterized query construction, it creates an environment where attacker-controlled input can be directly interpreted as part of the SQL command structure. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-89 which defines SQL injection as the improper handling of input data that allows attackers to manipulate SQL queries through malicious input. The attack vector specifically targets the patient appointment system's doctor listing functionality, where the id parameter likely represents a unique identifier for medical practitioners that should be safely handled through proper database abstraction layers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access, as it creates potential pathways for sophisticated attacks that could undermine the entire medical appointment infrastructure. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to extract patient records, modify doctor availability schedules, access administrative credentials, or even escalate privileges within the system. The medical nature of the data involved increases the severity of potential compromise, as healthcare information is protected under regulations such as HIPAA in the united states and GDPR in europe, making unauthorized access a serious compliance violation. This vulnerability particularly threatens the system's integrity by allowing modification of database contents and could enable attackers to create false appointments or manipulate patient records, directly impacting patient care and hospital operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening of the application. The primary fix involves implementing proper parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions, ensuring that user input cannot be interpreted as executable SQL code. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including client-side, server-side, and database-level to prevent malicious data from reaching the query execution phase. The system should also implement proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users, as this information can aid attackers in crafting more sophisticated attacks. Additionally, implementing the principle of least privilege for database accounts used by the application can limit the damage potential even if other security measures fail. Security monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the ATT&CK framework's mitigation recommendations for preventing injection attacks, particularly in healthcare systems where data protection is paramount for patient safety and regulatory compliance.