CVE-2026-1423
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in code-projects Online Examination System 1.0 allows attackers to upload arbitrary files to the /admin_pic.php endpoint, potentially leading to remote code execution. The attack can be performed remotely without authentication, affecting any system running this software with the vulnerable component exposed.
💻 Affected Systems
- code-projects Online Examination System
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise via remote code execution, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands, steal data, install malware, or pivot to other systems.
Likely Case
Webshell deployment leading to persistent access, data exfiltration, or use as part of a botnet.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if file uploads are restricted to specific directories with proper permissions and execution is prevented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit details are publicly disclosed on GitHub. Simple file upload manipulation can lead to RCE.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: https://code-projects.org/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider removing or replacing the software. If continuing use, implement workarounds below.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict access to admin_pic.php
allBlock or restrict access to the vulnerable endpoint using web server configuration or firewall rules.
# Apache: Add to .htaccess
<Files "admin_pic.php">
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</Files>
# Nginx: Add to server block
location ~ /admin_pic\.php$ {
deny all;
return 403;
}
Implement file upload validation
allAdd server-side validation to restrict file types, extensions, and content for uploads.
# Example PHP validation snippet
$allowed_extensions = ['jpg', 'png', 'gif'];
$file_extension = strtolower(pathinfo($_FILES['file']['name'], PATHINFO_EXTENSION));
if (!in_array($file_extension, $allowed_extensions)) {
die('Invalid file type');
}
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network segmentation to isolate the vulnerable system from critical assets
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to block file upload attacks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if /admin_pic.php exists and accepts file uploads without proper validation. Attempt to upload a test file with various extensions.Check Version:
# Check PHP version and system info
php -v
# Check if Online Examination System files exist
find /var/www -name "*examination*" -type fVerify Fix Applied:
Test that file uploads to /admin_pic.php are properly restricted and that unauthorized file types are rejected.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file uploads to /admin_pic.php
- POST requests with file uploads to admin endpoints
- Execution of unexpected PHP files in upload directories
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /admin_pic.php with file uploads
- Outbound connections from web server to unknown IPs
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (url="/admin_pic.php" OR url CONTAINS "admin_pic") AND method="POST" AND size>100000