CVE-2023-2146 in Online Thesis Archiving System
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
A vulnerability was found in Campcodes Online Thesis Archiving System 1.0. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file classes/Master.php. The manipulation of the argument name leads to sql injection. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-226267.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2023
The CVE-2023-2146 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the Campcodes Online Thesis Archiving System version 1.0, specifically within the file classes/Master.php. This vulnerability exposes the system to remote SQL injection attacks through manipulation of the argument name parameter, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this thesis archiving platform. The vulnerability's classification as critical indicates the potential for severe impact including unauthorized data access, data corruption, and complete system compromise. The disclosure of exploit details in VDB-226267 further amplifies the threat level, as malicious actors can readily leverage this vulnerability without requiring advanced technical skills.
The technical flaw manifests as a SQL injection vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or validate user input passed through the name argument in the Master.php file. This improper input handling allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed by the underlying database system. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or network to launch attacks, significantly expanding the potential attack surface. The flaw likely stems from inadequate parameterized query implementation or improper input validation mechanisms that fail to distinguish between legitimate user input and malicious SQL commands.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to academic institutions and organizations using the Campcodes system for thesis archiving. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive academic records, student information, and intellectual property stored within the system. Attackers might extract confidential data, modify or delete thesis records, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative control over the entire platform. The impact extends beyond immediate data compromise to potential regulatory violations under data protection laws and damage to institutional reputation. Organizations may face compliance issues with standards such as gdpr, hipaa, and other privacy regulations that govern the handling of sensitive educational data.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected system, as this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is actively exploited. Organizations must implement proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit potential attack vectors, while comprehensive monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous database activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which catalogs SQL injection flaws, and represents a clear violation of ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in remote services. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar injection vulnerabilities across the entire application stack, ensuring compliance with security best practices and reducing the risk of future exploits.