CVE-2024-25212 in Employee Managment System
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2024
Employee Managment System v1.0 was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the id parameter at /delete.php.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2024
The Employee Management System version 1.0 presents a critical security flaw that exposes organizations to potential data breaches and unauthorized access. This vulnerability specifically manifests through a SQL injection attack vector that targets the id parameter within the delete.php endpoint. The flaw represents a fundamental failure in input validation and query construction that allows malicious actors to manipulate database queries through crafted input. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in employee management systems as they often contain sensitive personal and financial information about personnel, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to extract valuable data or disrupt organizational operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper sanitization of user-supplied input within the application's database interaction layer. When the system processes the id parameter in delete.php without adequate validation or parameterization, it directly incorporates user input into SQL query construction. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious SQL code that can bypass authentication, extract confidential data, modify database records, or even execute administrative commands on the underlying database server. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection as a common weakness in software applications where user input is improperly handled in database queries. The attack surface is particularly narrow yet impactful, as the vulnerability specifically affects the deletion functionality, suggesting that attackers could potentially exploit this to manipulate employee records or gain deeper access to the system's data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data compromise to encompass broader security implications for enterprise environments. Organizations utilizing this employee management system face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive employee information, potential data exfiltration, and possible system disruption. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to delete employee records, modify access permissions, or escalate privileges within the system. The consequences could include regulatory compliance violations under data protection frameworks such as gdpr or hipaa, depending on the nature of employee data stored. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique t1190 - proxy phishing and t1071.004 - application layer protocol: dns, as attackers might use this weakness to establish persistent access or move laterally within networks. The impact is particularly severe for organizations that rely on automated employee management processes, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to disrupt critical HR functions and personnel workflows.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary fix involves implementing proper parameterized queries or prepared statements throughout the application's database interaction code, ensuring that user input cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. Input validation should be enforced at multiple layers including application-level sanitization and database-level restrictions. Organizations should implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns targeting the vulnerable endpoint. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application's codebase. The system should also incorporate proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security updates will help reduce the overall attack surface and prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other system components.