CVE-2026-37602 in Patient Appointment Scheduler System
Summary
by MITRE • 04/14/2026
SourceCodester Patient Appointment Scheduler System v1.0 is vulnerable to SQL Injection in the file /scheduler/admin/user/manage_user.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2026
The CVE-2026-37602 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the SourceCodester Patient Appointment Scheduler System version 1.0, specifically affecting the administrative user management component. This vulnerability exists in the /scheduler/admin/user/manage_user.php file, which processes user-related operations within the system's administrative interface. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious SQL commands through input fields that are processed by the vulnerable script, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive patient and administrative data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard SQL injection attack patterns where malicious input is passed to the application's database layer without proper sanitization. The affected manage_user.php script likely accepts user identifiers, usernames, or other input parameters that are directly concatenated into SQL query strings. This design pattern violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack surface where an authenticated attacker can manipulate database queries to extract, modify, or delete sensitive information. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, potentially enabling full system compromise and unauthorized access to patient medical records, appointment scheduling data, and administrative credentials. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, create backdoor accounts, or extract confidential patient information that would violate healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA. The system's administrative interface becomes a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access, as successful exploitation could provide long-term control over the entire patient scheduling system. This vulnerability particularly affects healthcare organizations that rely on automated scheduling systems, making the potential impact on patient privacy and healthcare delivery significant.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2026-37602 should prioritize immediate implementation of parameterized queries and prepared statements throughout the application's database interaction layer. The development team must implement strict input validation and sanitization measures that filter out malicious SQL characters and patterns before any data reaches the database engine. Additionally, the system should enforce the principle of least privilege by limiting database user permissions to only essential operations required for normal functioning. Regular security code reviews and automated vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar flaws in other application components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.