CVE-2024-8467 in Job Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 09/05/2024
SQL injection vulnerability, by which an attacker could send a specially designed query through id parameter in /jobportal/admin/category/index.php, and retrieve all the information stored in it.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2024
The SQL injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-8467 represents a critical security flaw in the job portal administration system that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary database queries through improper input validation. This vulnerability specifically affects the /jobportal/admin/category/index.php endpoint where the id parameter is used without adequate sanitization or parameterization, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to manipulate the underlying database structure. The flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion operations against the database backend that stores job portal administrative information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input through the id parameter. When an attacker submits a malicious payload through this parameter, the application directly incorporates the input into SQL query construction without appropriate escaping or parameter binding techniques. This primitive approach to database interaction enables attackers to inject additional SQL commands that can manipulate the original query execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows for full information disclosure, enabling attackers to retrieve all data stored within the database tables accessible through the administrative interface. This includes sensitive information such as user credentials, job listings, application data, and potentially system configuration details that could further aid in escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-8467 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete database compromise and potential system-wide infiltration. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could extract sensitive information including but not limited to administrative user accounts, job seeker data, employer information, and system metadata that could be used for identity theft, fraud, or further targeting of the organization. The vulnerability's accessibility through a simple parameter injection makes it particularly attractive to automated attack tools, increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) and T1213.002 (Data from Information Repositories: Database) as attackers can leverage the compromised system to access and exfiltrate database contents. The impact is further amplified by the fact that this vulnerability affects the administrative interface, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or manipulate system functionality beyond simple data retrieval.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-8467 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase, particularly in the category/index.php file and similar endpoints. The application should utilize prepared statements with bound parameters instead of string concatenation for SQL query construction, which directly prevents the injection of malicious SQL commands. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and least privilege principles for database connections, ensuring that application users have minimal required permissions. Additional defensive measures include input sanitization, output encoding, and regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities across the entire application stack. Implementing Web Application Firewall rules to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns can provide additional protection layers while the core vulnerability is being patched. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code reviews focusing on all database interaction points to identify and address similar weaknesses that may exist in other parts of the application.