CVE-2022-41446 is a medium-severity access control vulnerability identified in the /Admin/dashboard.php component of a Record Management System built on CodeIgniter version 1.0. This vulnerability allows attackers with some level of privileges (as indicated by the CVSS vector requiring PR:L, meaning low privileges) to bypass intended access restrictions and gain unauthorized access to administrative dashboard functionality. Specifically, the flaw enables these attackers to access and modify user data without proper authorization checks. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component without affecting other system components. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity to a limited extent (C:L/I:L), but does not impact availability (A:N). Although the affected product and vendor are not explicitly named, the use of CodeIgniter 1.0 suggests legacy or custom-built record management applications are at risk. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories have been linked, indicating that mitigation may require custom code review and access control hardening. The vulnerability was published on November 23, 2022, and is tracked under CVE-2022-41446.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to entities using legacy or custom record management systems based on CodeIgniter 1.0. The ability to access and modify user data without proper authorization could lead to unauthorized disclosure of personal or sensitive information, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Integrity compromise of user data could disrupt business processes, lead to incorrect decision-making, or damage trust with customers and partners. Although availability is not impacted, the breach of confidentiality and integrity can result in regulatory fines, reputational damage, and potential legal liabilities. Sectors such as healthcare, public administration, and financial services, which often rely on record management systems, may be particularly vulnerable. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the ease of exploitation and network accessibility mean that motivated attackers could leverage this vulnerability if discovered in operational environments.

Given the absence of vendor patches or advisories, European organizations should undertake immediate code audits focusing on access control mechanisms within the /Admin/dashboard.php and related administrative modules. Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure that only authorized users with appropriate privileges can access or modify user data. Employ input validation and session management best practices to prevent privilege escalation. Where possible, upgrade or migrate from CodeIgniter 1.0 to a supported and actively maintained framework version that includes security improvements. Network-level mitigations such as restricting access to administrative interfaces via VPNs or IP whitelisting can reduce exposure. Additionally, implement comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should also review and update incident response plans to address potential data integrity and confidentiality breaches stemming from this vulnerability.