Overview
The healthcare industry heavily relies on advanced technology and systems to manage patient data. However, in the process of digitalization, these systems can become potential targets for cyber threats. One such system, Hospital Management System v4, has been discovered to contain a serious SQL injection vulnerability. This vulnerability puts patient data at risk, as it exposes it to potential system compromise or data leakage. This is a critical issue that needs immediate attention as it impacts the privacy and security of patient data, which if exploited, could lead to immense consequences both financially and reputationally for the healthcare institutions using this system.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2023-41525
Severity: Critical, CVSS Score – 9.8
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise or data leakage if successfully exploited
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Hospital Management System | v4
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability lies in the patient_contact parameter in the patientsearch.php. If an attacker sends a specifically crafted SQL statement through the patient_contact parameter, it can trick the system into executing unintended commands or accessing data without proper authorization. This can lead to unauthorized viewing of patient data, data manipulation or even system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
This conceptual example shows how an attacker might exploit the vulnerability using a SQL Injection attack. The attacker sends a specifically crafted SQL statement as the patient_contact parameter in a POST request.
POST /patientsearch.php HTTP/1.1
Host: targethospital.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
patient_contact=' OR '1'='1'; DROP TABLE patients; --In the above example, `’ OR ‘1’=’1′; DROP TABLE patients; — ` is a SQL Injection payload. If the system is vulnerable, it will interpret this as a valid SQL command, leading to the entire patients’ table being deleted.
Mitigation
It is highly recommended to apply the vendor patch as soon as it’s available to mitigate this vulnerability. In the meantime, setting up a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be a temporary solution to detect and block SQL injection attacks. Additionally, ensure that all user inputs are properly sanitized and validated to prevent such injection attacks. Regular audits and penetration testing can also help in identifying vulnerabilities early and taking necessary preventive measures.