Code-Projects Online Event Judging System SQL Injection Vulnerability in edit_contestant.php

A SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in Code-Projects Online Event Judging System version 1.0. The issue arises in the file edit_contestant.php, where the contestant_id parameter is manipulated, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely, and a public exploit is available.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized database access, data manipulation, and access to sensitive information.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by sending a POST request to the edit_contestant.php file with a crafted contestant_id parameter that includes SQL injection payloads. The injection can be verified by using time-based blind SQL injection techniques, such as adding a SQL command that causes the database to pause processing for a few seconds before responding.

Remediation

It is recommended to use prepared statements and parameter binding to prevent SQL injection, validate and filter user input, minimize database user permissions, and conduct regular security audits.