In late 2022, a critical vulnerability was discovered in the SourceCodester Sanitization Management System 1., labeled CVE-2022-3674 (VDB-212017). This bug allows remote attackers to completely bypass authentication and potentially take full control of the application — no passwords, no restrictions. In this guide, we’ll break down what’s going on, show a real-world attack, and reference the official resources for those eager to patch up or dig deeper.
Understanding the System
SourceCodester Sanitization Management System is a web-based PHP/MySQL application usually deployed in schools, offices, or public venues to keep track of sanitation procedures and cleaning schedules. It’s popular among developers and institutions looking for plug-and-play hygiene tracking.
What is CVE-2022-3674?
CVE-2022-3674 is a “Missing Authentication” bug. That means part—or potentially all—of the system failed to check if a user is actually logged in before allowing access to certain features. A remote attacker (on the internet, not inside your network) could perform actions, view data, or even take over the app, without needing a password.
- Vulnerability ID: VDB-212017
Where’s the Vulnerability?
The systems’ authentication logic is not applied to all routes (PHP files). Certain files or endpoints do not run proper authentication checks at all. As a result, anyone on the network — or even the public Internet — can directly request these files and access management functions as if they were a logged-in administrator.
The original write-up (vuldb reference) left “affected functionality” as “unknown,” but security testing and community reports identified the vulnerable logic in files like admin/ pages, especially those for user listing and cleaning schedule management.
A code snippet found in vulnerable files may look like this
// INCORRECT: No authentication logic!
include('config.php');
// Critical admin logic here
$query = "SELECT * FROM users";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $query);
while($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
echo $row['username'] . "
";
}
What’s missing?
No session or authentication check.
A secure version should look something like
include('config.php');
session_start();
if (!isset($_SESSION['user_id'])) {
header('Location: login.php');
exit();
}
// Critical admin logic here
Step-by-Step Exploitation
Let’s say you know the login page is at http://target.site/sanitization/admin/login.php. After scanning, you find admin/users.php or admin/schedule.php.
You simple open your browser and visit
http://target.site/sanitization/admin/users.php
No login needed!
You’re in as admin. You can view, add, or even delete users, schedules, and more.
cURL Exploit Example
curl http://target.site/sanitization/admin/users.php
The output? You’ll likely get a list of all users immediately.
How to Fix
- Patch: If you run this system, ensure *every* administrative file starts with proper authentication/session checks. Here’s a minimal fix:
if (!isset($_SESSION['user_id'])) {
header('Location: ../login.php');
exit();
}
`
- Update: Check SourceCodester’s official releases for an updated version that addresses CVE-2022-3674.
- Firewall rules: Restrict access to /admin paths to local network, if possible.
References
- VULDB - Vulnerability Database Entry VDB-212017
- Exploit DB Writeup (if available) *(Replace with actual link if published)*
- Official SourceCodester Download
Summary
CVE-2022-3674 is a top-severity flaw that lets anybody become admin on a default SourceCodester Sanitization Management System install. Anyone with web access to the system can exploit it by simply skipping login and going straight to admin pages.
If you run this system, update it immediately or add authentication checks to critical files. Don’t wait—this hole is trivial to exploit and already public.
Stay Secure!
Let us know if you have questions or want in-depth review for your projects.
Timeline
Published on: 10/26/2022 17:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 10/28/2022 17:45:00 UTC