CVE-2022-43318 in Human Resource Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2022
Human Resource Management System v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the stateedit parameter at /hrm/state.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2022
The Human Resource Management System version 1.0 contains a critical SQL injection vulnerability that poses significant security risks to organizations relying on this software for personnel management. This vulnerability specifically affects the stateedit parameter within the /hrm/state.php endpoint, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate database queries through crafted input. The flaw represents a classic insecure parameter handling issue that allows unauthorized data access and potential system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's database interaction logic. When the stateedit parameter is processed, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL query structures. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the database user account associated with the application. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to extract sensitive employee data, modify personnel records, or potentially escalate privileges within the database system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to comprehensive personnel information including employee records, salary details, personal identification numbers, and other sensitive HR data. Organizations using this system face potential regulatory compliance violations under data protection frameworks such as gdpr and hipaa, depending on the nature of the employee information stored. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks where attackers might attempt to gain administrative access to the application or underlying database. This risk is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where HR systems often contain highly sensitive information and serve as potential entry points for broader network compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and parameterization of all database queries. Organizations must implement proper prepared statements or parameterized queries to ensure that user input cannot alter the intended structure of SQL commands. The application should also enforce strict input filtering and sanitization mechanisms that reject or escape potentially malicious characters. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities throughout the application codebase. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as those outlined in the owasp top ten and mitre attack framework, which classify SQL injection as one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that all database interactions properly handle user input without exposing the underlying database to manipulation.