CVE-2024-1878 in Employee Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 02/26/2024
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Employee Management System 1.0. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the file /myprofile.php. The manipulation of the argument id with the input 1%20or%201=1 leads to sql injection. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. VDB-254726 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2024
The CVE-2024-1878 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the SourceCodester Employee Management System version 1.0, specifically affecting the /myprofile.php file. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data. The flaw manifests when the application processes the id parameter without proper escaping or parameterization, creating an exploitable condition where malicious sql commands can be injected directly into the database query execution flow. The vulnerability's critical rating reflects its potential for severe data compromise and system infiltration.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the id argument using the payload "1%20or%201=1" which translates to "1 or 1=1" in sql syntax. This particular injection technique leverages boolean-based sql injection principles where the condition "1=1" always evaluates to true, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms and allowing attackers to retrieve unauthorized data from the underlying database. The attack vector is remote, meaning that malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the system or local network presence. The disclosed exploit demonstrates how a simple parameter manipulation can lead to complete database compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and potential lateral movement within affected networks. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can access sensitive employee information, personal identification details, login credentials, and potentially escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the application. The vulnerability's presence in a employee management system creates particular risk as it may expose confidential personnel data, payroll information, and internal communication records. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1213.002 for data from information repositories, representing the exploitation of application interfaces for data exfiltration and system reconnaissance.
Security mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected application to address the input validation flaws in the /myprofile.php file. Implementing proper parameterized queries and input sanitization mechanisms would prevent the sql injection vulnerability from being exploited. Organizations should also deploy web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious sql injection patterns targeting the specific parameter. The CWE taxonomy categorizes this vulnerability as CWE-89, representing sql injection, with additional classification under CWE-20 for improper input validation. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege access controls should be enforced to limit potential damage even if exploitation occurs. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on sql injection prevention patterns are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.