CVE-2024-11661
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to upload arbitrary files to the Free Exam Hall Seating Management System 1.0 via the profile.php image upload functionality. It affects all installations of this specific software version. The unrestricted file upload could enable various follow-on attacks.
💻 Affected Systems
- Codezips Free Exam Hall Seating Management System
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could upload malicious files (webshells, malware) leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Attackers upload webshells to gain persistent access, deface websites, or use the system as a foothold for lateral movement.
If Mitigated
With proper file validation and access controls, impact is limited to failed upload attempts or benign file storage.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authentication to access profile.php. The researcher submission indicates confusion about vulnerability classification.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: None found
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider implementing workarounds or replacing the software.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Implement File Upload Restrictions
allAdd server-side validation to restrict uploaded files to specific extensions (jpg, png, gif) and verify file signatures.
Modify profile.php to include: $allowed_extensions = ['jpg', 'jpeg', 'png', 'gif']; $allowed_mime = ['image/jpeg', 'image/png', 'image/gif'];
Disable Profile Image Upload
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable image upload functionality in profile.php.
Comment out or remove image upload code in profile.php
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block malicious file uploads
- Restrict network access to the application to trusted IPs only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Attempt to upload a non-image file (e.g., .php, .exe) via the profile image upload feature. If successful, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check software version in admin panel or readme filesVerify Fix Applied:
Attempt the same upload test; successful uploads should be rejected with proper error messages.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file uploads to profile.php
- Uploads of non-image file extensions
- Large number of failed upload attempts
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to profile.php with unusual file content types
- Traffic patterns suggesting file upload testing
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND uri="*profile.php*" AND (method="POST" OR file_extension!="jpg|jpeg|png|gif")