CVE-2026-76997 in Simple Online Food Ordering System
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2026
A weakness has been identified in SourceCodester Simple Online Food Ordering System 1.0. The affected element is an unknown function of the file /admin/ajax.php?action=save_category. This manipulation of the argument ID causes sql injection. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been made available to the public and could be used for attacks.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2026
The SourceCodester Simple Online Food Ordering System version 1.0 contains a critical security flaw within its administrative interface, specifically located in the ajax.php file when processing requests with the action parameter set to save_category. This vulnerability manifests as an SQL injection weakness resulting from improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input passed via the ID argument. The application fails to properly escape special characters or utilize prepared statements before incorporating this variable into backend database queries, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary Structured Query Language code directly into the execution context of the web server's interaction with the underlying database management system.
This type of vulnerability is classically categorized under CWE-89, which denotes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, commonly known as SQL Injection. The root cause lies in the developer's assumption that input from internal or administrative sources is inherently safe, leading to a lack of rigorous data validation mechanisms. By manipulating the ID parameter, an attacker can alter the logic of the original database query, potentially bypassing authentication controls, extracting sensitive data such as user credentials and personal information, modifying existing records, or even executing administrative operations on the database server depending on the privileges assigned to the web application's database account.
From a tactical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically sub-technique 004 which covers SQL Injection for Command and Scripting Interpreter interactions if the underlying DBMS allows such execution, or more broadly under data exfiltration techniques like T1005. The impact of exploiting this flaw is severe as it compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the application's data store. Attackers can remotely initiate these attacks without prior authentication to the administrative panel in some configurations, although typically access to the admin interface might be required first. However, if session management or input filtering is weak at that layer as well, remote exploitation becomes trivially achievable using standard SQL injection tools and payloads available publicly on exploit databases.
The availability of public exploits significantly lowers the barrier to entry for attackers, increasing the likelihood of automated scanning and opportunistic attacks against instances running this specific version of the software. Organizations relying on this open-source solution must recognize that such projects often lack rigorous security auditing processes compared to commercial enterprise solutions. The operational impact includes potential data breaches involving customer orders, payment details if stored improperly, and administrative credentials, which could lead to further lateral movement within a network infrastructure or reputational damage due to public disclosure of compromised user data.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate remediation by updating the source code to implement parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions involving external input. Developers must ensure that every variable passed from client-side requests, including hidden fields and AJAX parameters like ID in this case, is strictly validated against expected formats such as integers before being used in SQL constructs. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking common SQL injection patterns in HTTP traffic. For administrators currently running this system, it is strongly recommended to migrate to a more secure, actively maintained alternative or apply community-patched versions if available, while simultaneously enforcing strong access controls on the administrative endpoints to limit exposure even if the underlying code flaw persists temporarily during remediation efforts.