CVE-2024-7753
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in SourceCodester Clinics Patient Management System 1.0 allows attackers to directly access files in the /user_images/ directory without proper authorization. It affects all installations of this specific healthcare management software. The vulnerability enables unauthorized file retrieval through direct requests to the vulnerable endpoint.
💻 Affected Systems
- SourceCodester Clinics Patient Management System
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could retrieve sensitive patient images, medical documents, or other files stored in the user_images directory, potentially exposing protected health information (PHI) and violating privacy regulations.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to user-uploaded images and files, potentially including patient photos, medical documentation, or system files inadvertently stored in this directory.
If Mitigated
If proper access controls and directory restrictions are implemented, impact is limited to non-sensitive files or empty directories.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit requires only direct HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoint. No authentication or special tools needed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: None available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Check SourceCodester website for updates or consider alternative software.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict /user_images/ Directory Access
allImplement access controls to prevent direct requests to the /user_images/ directory
# Apache: Add to .htaccess
<Directory /path/to/user_images>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</Directory>
# Nginx: Add to server block
location /user_images/ {
deny all;
return 403;
}
Move Sensitive Files
linuxRelocate sensitive files outside web-accessible directories
mv /var/www/html/user_images/* /secure/storage/
ln -s /secure/storage/ /var/www/html/user_images
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block direct requests to /user_images/
- Monitor and alert on unusual access patterns to the /user_images/ directory
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Attempt to access http://[target]/user_images/ or specific files within that directory without authentication. If files are accessible, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check application version in admin panel or readme files. No standard command available.Verify Fix Applied:
After implementing controls, attempt the same access. Should receive 403 Forbidden or similar access denied response.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple 200 OK responses to /user_images/ requests from single IP
- Unusual file access patterns to image directories
Network Indicators:
- HTTP GET requests to /user_images/ with directory traversal attempts
- Unusual volume of requests to image directories
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (uri_path="/user_images/*" OR uri_path CONTAINS "/user_images/") AND response_code=200