CVE-2023-49690 in Job Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 12/22/2023
Job Portal v1.0 is vulnerable to multiple Unauthenticated SQL Injection vulnerabilities. The 'WalkinId' parameter of the Employer/DeleteJob.php resource does not validate the characters received and they are sent unfiltered to the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49690 affects Job Portal v1.0 and represents a critical security flaw that exposes the application to unauthenticated sql injection attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the Employer/DeleteJob.php resource where the WalkinId parameter fails to implement proper input validation mechanisms. The absence of character validation and input sanitization creates an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary sql commands directly into the database layer. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-89 sql injection as defined by the common weakness enumeration framework, which specifically addresses the risk of executing malicious sql code through unvalidated user inputs. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication credentials to exploit, making it accessible to any external party with knowledge of the vulnerable endpoint.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from the application's failure to properly filter and validate the WalkinId parameter before processing it within database queries. When an attacker submits malicious input through this parameter, the application directly incorporates the unfiltered data into sql statements without proper escaping or parameterization techniques. This primitive approach to data handling creates a direct pathway for sql injection attacks, where attackers can manipulate the intended database operations to extract sensitive information, modify data, or even execute administrative commands on the database server. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of input validation controls that should be implemented at the application layer to prevent such attacks from occurring.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the job portal's data infrastructure. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive employer and job seeker information, potentially including personal identification details, contact information, and employment records. The attacker could also modify or delete job listings and related data, disrupting the platform's functionality and potentially causing business disruption. Additionally, the vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges within the database environment, leading to complete system compromise. This type of attack vector aligns with tactics described in the attack pattern taxonomy under the category of sql injection techniques, where adversaries seek to leverage poorly validated inputs to gain unauthorized database access and execute malicious commands.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate implementation of proper input validation and parameterized queries. The application code must be updated to sanitize all user inputs, particularly the WalkinId parameter, through proper escaping mechanisms or by implementing prepared statements that separate sql code from data. Security measures should include input length restrictions, character set validation, and comprehensive logging of suspicious input patterns. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block common sql injection attack patterns, while establishing regular security testing procedures including automated scanning and manual penetration testing. The remediation approach should follow industry best practices for secure coding as outlined in the owasp top ten and other security standards, ensuring that all user inputs are properly validated before processing. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and address similar vulnerabilities across the entire application codebase, preventing the recurrence of such flaws in other components of the system.