CVE-2024-2576 in Employee Task Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 03/18/2024
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in SourceCodester Employee Task Management System 1.0. This affects an unknown part of the file /update-admin.php. The manipulation of the argument admin_id leads to authorization bypass. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-257079.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2025
The CVE-2024-2576 vulnerability represents a critical authorization bypass flaw within the SourceCodester Employee Task Management System version 1.0, specifically affecting the /update-admin.php component. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication checks when processing the admin_id parameter, creating a significant security weakness that allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges. The flaw exists in the administrative update functionality where the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses legitimate administrative credentials before permitting modifications to administrator accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient authorization controls, which aligns with CWE-285, representing improper authorization in web applications. When an attacker manipulates the admin_id argument within the update-admin.php file, the system processes the request without adequate verification of the user's administrative rights, effectively allowing any authenticated user to assume administrator privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which describes valid accounts usage through unauthorized access to administrative functions, and specifically targets the privilege escalation category within the attack lifecycle.
The remote exploitation capability of this vulnerability presents a severe operational risk, as it enables attackers to gain administrative access from any location without requiring physical access to the system or knowledge of valid administrative credentials. The public disclosure of the exploit, as indicated by the VDB-257079 identifier, increases the likelihood of widespread exploitation across vulnerable installations. This vulnerability impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire system, as attackers can modify administrative settings, access sensitive data, and potentially disrupt system operations.
Organizations running the affected Employee Task Management System version 1.0 must implement immediate mitigations including input validation for the admin_id parameter, robust authentication checks, and proper authorization verification before any administrative modifications occur. The recommended approach involves implementing proper access control mechanisms that verify user privileges through secure session management and role-based access controls. Additionally, the system should employ parameterized queries to prevent injection attacks and implement comprehensive logging to detect unauthorized access attempts. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to administrative functions, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase.