CVE-2023-0534 in Online Tours & Travels Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 01/27/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in SourceCodester Online Tours & Travels Management System 1.0. This affects an unknown part of the file admin/expense_report.php. The manipulation of the argument to_date leads to sql injection. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-219603.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0534 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the SourceCodester Online Tours & Travels Management System version 1.0. This security weakness specifically targets the admin/expense_report.php component where improper input validation allows malicious actors to manipulate the to_date parameter. The vulnerability's classification as critical indicates the potential for severe impact on system integrity and data confidentiality, making it a high-priority concern for organizations utilizing this software solution. The flaw exists in the application's handling of user-supplied data within the administrative interface, creating an attack vector that can be exploited without requiring local system access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the to_date argument in the expense_report.php file, which serves as the primary entry point for sql injection attacks. When the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into database queries, attackers can inject malicious sql commands that bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary code on the underlying database server. This particular implementation flaw allows for remote exploitation, meaning that threat actors can leverage this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access to the target system. The vulnerability's public disclosure status significantly increases the risk profile as malicious actors can readily access documented exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0534 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and potential data destruction. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive customer information, financial records, and administrative credentials stored within the database. The remote exploit capability means that organizations cannot rely solely on network segmentation or firewall rules to protect against this threat, as the attack can originate from anywhere on the internet. Additionally, the vulnerability may allow for privilege escalation within the application, potentially enabling attackers to assume administrative roles and gain unrestricted access to all system functionalities. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the CWE-89 category for sql injection and aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services.
Organizations utilizing the affected SourceCodester Online Tours & Travels Management System must implement immediate remediation measures to address this vulnerability. The primary mitigation strategy involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent user-supplied data from being executed as sql commands. Database access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to limit the privileges of database accounts used by the application, following the principle of least privilege as recommended by industry security frameworks. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for sql injection patterns and block suspicious traffic patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues within the application codebase, with particular attention to input handling routines across all administrative interfaces. The vulnerability's public disclosure status necessitates urgent patching or mitigation implementation, as the window for exploitation by automated attack tools remains open. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring to detect anomalous sql query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.