CVE-2023-0917
📋 TL;DR
This critical SQL injection vulnerability in Simple Customer Relationship Management System 1.0 allows attackers to manipulate database queries via the password parameter in the login page. Remote attackers can potentially execute arbitrary SQL commands, leading to data theft, authentication bypass, or system compromise. All users running the affected software version are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- SourceCodester Simple Customer Relationship Management System
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including credential theft, data exfiltration, privilege escalation to admin, and potential remote code execution on the underlying server.
Likely Case
Authentication bypass allowing unauthorized access to the CRM system, followed by data theft of customer information and potential lateral movement within the network.
If Mitigated
Failed login attempts logged, no data access achieved due to proper input validation and parameterized queries in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit code is publicly available on GitHub. SQL injection via login page requires no authentication, making exploitation trivial for attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: None available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider upgrading to a newer version if available, or implement workarounds and monitoring.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Web Application Firewall (WAF)
allDeploy a WAF with SQL injection rules to block malicious payloads targeting the login.php endpoint.
Input Validation Filter
linuxAdd server-side input validation to sanitize the password parameter before processing.
Example PHP: $password = mysqli_real_escape_string($conn, $_POST['password']);
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate the CRM system from the internet and restrict access to internal networks only.
- Implement strict network segmentation and monitor all traffic to/from the CRM server for suspicious SQL patterns.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test the login.php endpoint with SQL injection payloads in the password field (e.g., ' OR '1'='1). If login succeeds without valid credentials, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check the software version in the application interface or configuration files. Look for version 1.0 in the source code or documentation.Verify Fix Applied:
After implementing fixes, attempt the same SQL injection tests. Successful login should only occur with valid credentials.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL syntax in login attempts
- Multiple failed login attempts with SQL keywords
- Successful logins from unexpected IP addresses
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /php-scrm/login.php containing SQL keywords in parameters
- Unusual database query patterns from the web server
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND uri="/php-scrm/login.php" AND (password="*OR*" OR password="*UNION*" OR password="*SELECT*")