CVE-2025-4818
📋 TL;DR
This critical SQL injection vulnerability in SourceCodester Doctor's Appointment System 1.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the ID parameter in /admin/delete-doctor.php. Attackers can potentially read, modify, or delete database content, including sensitive patient and doctor information. All installations of version 1.0 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- SourceCodester Doctor's Appointment System
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise leading to data theft, data destruction, and potential remote code execution via database functions.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to sensitive medical records, appointment data, and administrative credentials stored in the database.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper input validation and database permissions restrict damage to non-critical tables.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit requires admin access to reach /admin/delete-doctor.php endpoint, but SQL injection itself is straightforward once authenticated.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: https://www.sourcecodester.com/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider implementing parameterized queries or input validation as workaround.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation and Sanitization
allAdd server-side validation to ensure ID parameter contains only numeric characters
Modify /admin/delete-doctor.php to include: if(!is_numeric($_GET['ID'])) { die('Invalid input'); }
Web Application Firewall Rules
allBlock SQL injection patterns targeting the delete-doctor.php endpoint
WAF rule: Block requests to /admin/delete-doctor.php containing SQL keywords in GET parameters
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict access to /admin/ directory using IP whitelisting or authentication requirements
- Implement database user with minimal privileges (read-only where possible) for the application
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test by accessing /admin/delete-doctor.php?ID=1' OR '1'='1 and checking for SQL errors or unexpected behaviorCheck Version:
Check system version in admin panel or review source code for version markersVerify Fix Applied:
Attempt SQL injection payloads and verify they are rejected or sanitized📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- SQL syntax errors in web server logs
- Multiple failed delete requests with malformed ID parameters
- Unusual database queries from web application user
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to /admin/delete-doctor.php containing SQL keywords (UNION, SELECT, INSERT, etc.)
- Abnormal traffic patterns to admin endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (uri="/admin/delete-doctor.php" AND (query="*UNION*" OR query="*SELECT*" OR query="*INSERT*"))