CVE-2024-57401 in Student Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2025
SQL Injection vulnerability in Uniclare Student portal v.2 and before allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via the Forgot Password function.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2025
The CVE-2024-57401 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Uniclare Student portal version 2 and earlier installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the Forgot Password functionality, which serves as a legitimate entry point for users to reset their credentials when they lose access to their accounts. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the password reset process, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious SQL commands through the application's interface. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they often leverage existing user trust mechanisms to bypass security controls, making them both sophisticated and highly exploitable.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a direct consequence of insufficient input validation in database interactions. The attack vector operates through the Forgot Password function where user input is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper parameterization or escaping mechanisms. This allows an attacker to manipulate the underlying database queries by injecting malicious SQL syntax that can alter the intended execution flow. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network privileges, as the flaw exists within the web application layer that is accessible over the network.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-57401 extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. This arbitrary code execution capability provides attackers with extensive control over the database server, potentially allowing them to extract sensitive student information, modify user credentials, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the entire portal infrastructure. The vulnerability affects educational institutions that rely on the Uniclare Student portal for managing student data, potentially exposing personal information including student records, academic performance data, and authentication credentials. The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in significant data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage for affected organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-57401 must focus on implementing robust input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application's codebase, particularly within the password reset functionality. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the latest version of the Uniclare Student portal where this vulnerability has been patched. The implementation of proper prepared statements and parameterized queries should be enforced across all database interactions to prevent SQL injection attacks. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious SQL injection patterns, while also implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase, ensuring that the security posture remains robust against evolving threats. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1190 emphasizes the need for network security controls and defensive measures that can detect and prevent such attacks at the network perimeter level.