CVE-2022-44403 - Exploiting SQL Injection in Automotive Shop Management System v1.

In late 2022, a serious security vulnerability was uncovered in the Automotive Shop Management System version 1.—a PHP-based web application used by many car repair shops to manage daily operations. Identified as CVE-2022-44403, this flaw allows attackers to run unauthorized SQL commands on the app’s backend MySQL database. The problem lies in the user management page under the admin section, where a GET parameter is left unsanitized.

This post gives an exclusive but simple walkthrough of this vulnerability, why it’s dangerous, and how it can be exploited.

Where's the Problem?

The Automotive Shop Management System has an admin interface located at /asms/admin/. Admins can manage users with requests like:

/asms/admin/?page=user/manage_user&id=5

The id parameter is supposed to specify which user to manage. However, this input goes straight into SQL queries without sanitization (i.e., no filtering or escaping of user input), making it ripe for SQL Injection.

Digging Into the Code

Let’s zoom in on how the flaw appears in code. Here’s a simplified snippet (not official, but representative) of how the application processes the id parameter:

<?php
// File: user/manage_user.php

$id = $_GET['id'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $id";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
// ...further code to show user details...
?>

It is placed into the query without quotes or validation.

This means an attacker can change the id value to arbitrary SQL.

Exploiting the Vulnerability

Let’s see how a malicious hacker might exploit this. If the attacker wants to grab all usernames and passwords, they could try something like:

/asms/admin/?page=user/manage_user&id= UNION SELECT 1, username, password, 4,5 FROM users--

The resulting SQL query would look like

SELECT * FROM users WHERE id =  
UNION SELECT 1, username, password, 4,5 FROM users--

Appends usernames and passwords from the users table.

Depending on how the application displays the SQL results, sensitive credentials could now end up revealed on the admin page.

What’s the worst that could happen?

- Full database dump: Attackers may extract user accounts, email addresses, and (often weakly encrypted) passwords.
- Admin account takeover: With password hashes (or, worse, plain-text passwords) leaking, attackers could log in as admin.
- Further attacks: If the database stores session info, payment details, or other sensitive data, the damage is even greater.

- Sanitize user input using prepared statements. Like this

$id = $_GET['id'];
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("i", $id);
$stmt->execute();

Never trust user input—always validate and sanitize!

- Use PHP’s built-in filter_input() or cast to int (for IDs).
- Follow the official recommendations from the vendor or CVE advisory.

References

- NVD - CVE-2022-44403
- Exploit-DB #51076 (Example PoC)
- PHP List of Filters
- SQL Injection Primer (OWASP)

Conclusion

CVE-2022-44403 is a textbook example of why input validation and prepared statements are crucial to web application security. Simple oversights can lead to major breaches, especially in business-critical apps like Automotive Shop Management System. Shop owners: patch your instances now, audit your code, and remember—always code defensively!


Stay safe in the shop... and your code! 🚗🔧

Have questions or tips on fixing this vulnerability? Drop them in the comments below!

Timeline

Published on: 11/17/2022 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/18/2022 18:23:00 UTC