CVE-2024-3443 in Prison Management System
Summary
by MITRE • 04/08/2024
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in SourceCodester Prison Management System 1.0. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /Employee/apply_leave.php. The manipulation of the argument txtstart_date/txtend_date leads to cross site scripting. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-259696.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2025
This vulnerability resides within the SourceCodester Prison Management System version 1.0, specifically in the Employee leave application module. The flaw manifests in the /Employee/apply_leave.php file where user input parameters txtstart_date and txtend_date are not properly sanitized or validated before being processed and rendered back to users. This cross-site scripting vulnerability represents a critical security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability is classified as remotely exploitable, meaning that an attacker can initiate the attack without requiring physical access to the target system or network. The disclosed exploit demonstrates that malicious actors can manipulate the date input fields to inject script code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. Given that this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and has an associated vulnerability database identifier VDB-259696, it represents an active threat that could be immediately weaponized by threat actors. The impact extends beyond simple script injection as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft, session hijacking, or even privilege escalation within the prison management system. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for Phishing and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it provides an entry point for attackers to execute malicious code in user browsers. The vulnerability's presence in a prison management system is particularly concerning as it could potentially compromise sensitive institutional data and user privacy. Organizations using this system should immediately implement input validation and output encoding measures to prevent the execution of unauthorized scripts. The remediation approach should include proper parameter validation, HTML escaping of user inputs, and implementation of Content Security Policy headers to mitigate the risk of script execution. Additionally, security assessments should be conducted to identify any other potential injection points within the application that may present similar vulnerabilities. The disclosed nature of this exploit means that defensive measures must be prioritized and deployed urgently to protect against active exploitation attempts.