CVE-2022-48120 in Hospital Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 01/20/2023
SQL Injection vulnerability in kishan0725 Hospital Management System thru commit 4770d740f2512693ef8fd9aa10a8d17f79fad9bd (on March 13, 2021), allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands via the contact and doctor parameters to /search.php.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2023
The CVE-2022-48120 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the kishan0725 Hospital Management System, a widely deployed healthcare information system. This vulnerability was introduced through a specific code commit on March 13, 2021, and affects the system's search functionality. The flaw manifests in the /search.php endpoint where the contact and doctor parameters are processed without proper input validation or sanitization. The vulnerability stems from the system's failure to properly escape or parameterize user inputs before incorporating them into sql queries, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the database operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits maliciously crafted input through the contact and doctor parameters in the search.php script. The system processes these parameters directly within sql query construction without appropriate sanitization measures, allowing attackers to inject malicious sql payloads. This injection can occur through various techniques including union-based attacks, time-based blind injection, or error-based exploitation methods. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89 which defines improper neutralization of special elements used in sql commands, a fundamental weakness in database query construction that enables unauthorized data access and manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive database access capabilities. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, enabling unauthorized access to patient records, medical histories, treatment details, and administrative information. Attackers can potentially escalate privileges, modify existing records, insert malicious data, or even delete critical database entries. The healthcare sector's sensitivity to such breaches makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it could compromise patient privacy, disrupt medical services, and potentially endanger lives through data manipulation. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting web application vulnerabilities for data exfiltration and system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-48120 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application code, specifically modifying the search.php endpoint to utilize prepared statements or stored procedures. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious sql injection patterns, enforce strict input sanitization protocols, and conduct regular security audits of database interactions. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls for database accounts, regular security patching, and comprehensive application security testing including penetration testing and code reviews will significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper database access controls in healthcare information systems where data integrity and confidentiality are paramount requirements.