CVE-2023-41532
8.8Hospital Management System · Hospital Management System
Hospital Management System v4 contains a SQL injection vulnerability in the doctorsearch.php script, allowing attackers to manipulate database queries via the doctor_contact parameter.
Executive summary
A SQL injection vulnerability in Hospital Management System v4 poses a high risk of unauthorized data access and system compromise.
Vulnerability
This is a SQL injection vulnerability occurring in the doctorsearch.php file, specifically within the doctor_contact parameter. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R) indicates that the vulnerability is reachable by an unauthenticated attacker, although it requires user interaction.
Business impact
The vulnerability allows for unauthorized execution of SQL commands against the backend database, which could lead to the exposure, modification, or deletion of sensitive patient and administrative data. Given the CVSS score of 8.8, this flaw represents a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system. Failure to remediate this issue could result in severe reputational damage and potential regulatory non-compliance regarding health data privacy.
Remediation
Immediate Action: As no official patch is currently identified, administrators should restrict access to the vulnerable doctorsearch.php endpoint or disable the affected module until a vendor-supplied update is available.
Proactive Monitoring: Review database access logs for anomalous query patterns, such as unexpected syntax or large data exfiltration attempts originating from the doctorsearch function.
Compensating Controls: Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules configured to detect and block SQL injection payloads targeting the doctor_contact parameter.
Exploitation status
Public Exploit Available: Yes, a public proof-of-concept exists as documented in the provided researcher write-up.
Analyst recommendation
The severity of this SQL injection flaw necessitates immediate attention. Organizations utilizing Hospital Management System v4 must prioritize the implementation of WAF rules to filter malicious input and perform a thorough audit of database permissions. Monitoring for unauthorized access attempts is essential until a formal patch is released and verified for deployment.