SQL Injection Vulnerability in SourceCodester Simple Student Information System

The SourceCodester Simple Student Information System contains a critical SQL injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-19710. The vulnerability resides in the 'app/admin/departments/view_department.php' file, specifically within the handling of the 'ID' argument. An unauthenticated remote attacker can supply malicious SQL syntax through this parameter to interact directly with the underlying database. Publicly available exploit code exists, increasing the risk of active exploitation. This vulnerability allows for unauthorized data extraction, modification, or potential administrative access depending on the database configuration and application permissions. Defenders should monitor web logs for anomalous patterns in the 'ID' parameter targeting this specific file path.

Attack Chain

1. Attacker performs reconnaissance to identify instances of Simple Student Information System running in the environment.
2. Attacker crafts a malicious HTTP GET or POST request targeting the 'app/admin/departments/view_department.php' endpoint.
3. Attacker injects SQL syntax into the 'ID' query parameter (e.g., 'ID=1 OR 1=1').
4. The vulnerable PHP script processes the unsanitized 'ID' input and includes it directly in a database query.
5. The backend database executes the injected SQL command.
6. The application returns database information, structure, or content in the HTTP response body.
7. Attacker extracts sensitive data from the database tables.

Impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-19710 enables an attacker to perform unauthorized database operations, leading to potential data exfiltration of student or administrative records, modification of application settings, or database-level persistence.

Recommendation

1. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests containing common SQL injection characters (e.g., single quotes, union, select, sleep) in the 'ID' parameter directed at 'app/admin/departments/view_department.php'.
2. Implement the Sigma rule below to detect potential SQL injection attempts targeting the vulnerable endpoint in web server logs.
3. Validate if your organization uses Simple Student Information System and coordinate with IT teams to apply any available patches from the vendor or restrict external access to the administrative path.