CVE-2023-2152 in Student Study Center Desk Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
A vulnerability has been found in SourceCodester Student Study Center Desk Management System 1.0 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file index.php. The manipulation of the argument page leads to file inclusion. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier VDB-226273 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2024
This critical vulnerability in the SourceCodester Student Study Center Desk Management System version 1.0 represents a classic remote file inclusion flaw that poses significant security risks to affected systems. The vulnerability specifically resides within the index.php file where improper input validation allows attackers to manipulate the page parameter, enabling arbitrary file inclusion attacks. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-829 which encompasses insecure direct object references and improper input validation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute unauthorized code or access sensitive system resources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through remote manipulation of the page argument parameter, which directly influences how the application processes file inclusion requests. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload targeting the page parameter, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before using it in file inclusion operations. This allows the attacker to specify arbitrary file paths or URLs that get included and executed by the web application, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can leverage this flaw from external networks without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulate system configurations, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected infrastructure. The disclosure of the exploit and assignment of identifier VDB-226273 indicates that this vulnerability has already been weaponized by threat actors, increasing the urgency for remediation. Organizations running this specific version of the Student Study Center Desk Management System face elevated risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential regulatory violations due to the critical nature of the flaw.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected software to address the input validation deficiencies in the index.php file. System administrators should implement proper parameter validation and sanitization measures to prevent malicious input from being processed as file paths. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring and filtering suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable page parameter. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous file inclusion patterns, and access controls should be strengthened to limit potential attack vectors. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1505.003 which covers "Obfuscated Files or Information" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" in the context of file inclusion attacks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other components of the system architecture, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors.