CVE-2026-108970 in Online-Examination-System
Summary
by MITRE • 10/13/2026
A vulnerability was detected in itsmeravitejak Online-Examination-System up to e6208e630b14657999bbfe4c9912302d2a1e2449. This affects the function MySQLDB::addNewUser of the file include/database.php of the component Registration Form. Performing a manipulation of the argument branch results in sql injection. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. The exploit is now public and may be used. This product adopts a rolling release strategy to maintain continuous delivery. Therefore, version details for affected or updated releases cannot be specified. The project was informed of the problem early through an issue report but has not responded yet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2026
The itsmeravitejak Online-Examination-System is susceptible to a critical SQL injection vulnerability within its user registration functionality. This flaw resides in the MySQLDB::addNewUser function located in the include/database.php file, specifically triggered by manipulating the branch argument passed during the account creation process. The system fails to properly sanitize or parameterize this input before incorporating it into database queries, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary SQL commands. Because the vulnerability is present in a component that handles user registration and potentially other administrative data operations, the potential for data exfiltration, modification, or destruction of the underlying database is significant. The rolling release strategy employed by the project means that specific version numbers cannot be definitively listed as affected; instead, any commit prior to the fix hash e6208e630b14657999bbfe4c9912302d2a1e2449 is considered vulnerable. This continuous delivery model complicates patch management for administrators who must rely on source code analysis or commit history to determine exposure rather than simple version checks.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which describes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. The root cause is the direct concatenation of user-supplied input into a SQL query string without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms. In many modern web applications, prepared statements are standard practice to mitigate such risks by separating code from data. However, this implementation appears to have bypassed those safeguards for the branch parameter during new user creation. The attack vector is classified as remote (CWE-305), meaning an attacker does not need local access or authentication to exploit it initially. By sending a crafted HTTP request with maliciously formatted input in the branch field, an adversary can manipulate the backend database logic. This could lead to unauthorized access if the injection allows for authentication bypass, or more commonly, results in massive data leakage of sensitive user information stored within the examination system's database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its public availability and ease of exploitation. Since exploit code is already publicly accessible, automated scanning tools and malicious actors can easily identify and compromise instances running affected versions. The primary risk involves the integrity and confidentiality of the educational data managed by the platform. Attackers could extract student records, exam questions, answers, or administrative credentials stored in the database. Furthermore, depending on the privileges granted to the database user account used by the web application, an attacker might execute system-level commands if the underlying Database Management System permits it, such as through MySQL's INTO OUTFILE functionality or xp_cmdshell equivalents in other databases. This transforms a simple data breach into a potential full server compromise, disrupting service availability and causing significant reputational damage to the institution using the platform.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective solution is for administrators to update the itsmeravitejak Online-Examination-System to a version that includes the fix associated with commit e6208e630b14657999bbfe4c9912302d2a1e2449 or later. Given the rolling release nature, verifying the presence of this specific code change in the include/database.php file is necessary if version numbers are ambiguous. In cases where immediate patching is not feasible due to deployment constraints, temporary mitigations should be implemented at the network perimeter using Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured with rulesets designed to detect and block SQL injection patterns targeting registration endpoints. Additionally, input validation logic should be strengthened on both client and server sides to reject non-standard characters in the branch field until a permanent code fix is deployed.
From a defensive posture perspective, this incident highlights the importance of secure coding practices in open-source educational software. The project's lack of response to early issue reports suggests potential maintenance gaps that could leave users exposed for extended periods. Organizations relying on such systems should consider implementing regular security audits and dependency scanning tools like Snyk or OWASP Dependency-Check to monitor for known vulnerabilities in their stack. Furthermore, adopting the MITRE ATT&CK framework can help map this vulnerability to specific tactics; specifically, it relates to T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application under the Initial Access technique category. By understanding that attackers actively scan for such public-facing flaws with available exploits, administrators must prioritize rapid patching cycles and maintain strict access controls on database accounts used by web applications to limit the blast radius in case of a successful breach.