CVE-2022-42098 is a high-severity SQL Injection vulnerability affecting KLiK SocialMediaWebsite version 1.0.1, specifically via the profile.php script. SQL Injection (CWE-89) vulnerabilities occur when untrusted user input is improperly sanitized and directly incorporated into SQL queries, allowing attackers to manipulate the database queries executed by the application. In this case, the profile.php page likely accepts user-supplied parameters that are concatenated into SQL statements without adequate validation or parameterization. This flaw enables an attacker with at least low privileges (PR:L) to execute arbitrary SQL commands remotely (AV:N) without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H) of the backend database and potentially the entire application. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized data disclosure, modification, or deletion, and possibly full compromise of the social media platform’s data store. The CVSS vector indicates the attack complexity is low (AC:L), meaning exploitation is straightforward once access is obtained. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the high CVSS score of 8.8 reflects the critical nature of the vulnerability. No vendor or product details beyond the application name and version are provided, and no patches are currently linked, indicating that remediation may require vendor engagement or custom mitigation. Given the nature of social media platforms, the vulnerability could be leveraged to target user data, manipulate profiles, or disrupt service availability.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is significant, especially for entities operating or hosting KLiK SocialMediaWebsite or similar platforms. Exploitation could lead to large-scale data breaches involving personal user information, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations, resulting in legal penalties and reputational damage. The compromise of user profiles and social media content could facilitate identity theft, misinformation campaigns, or social engineering attacks targeting European citizens. Additionally, the availability impact could disrupt service continuity, affecting user trust and business operations. Organizations relying on this platform for communication or marketing may face operational and financial setbacks. The vulnerability also poses risks to critical infrastructure if the platform is integrated into broader organizational systems. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, European organizations must prioritize addressing this flaw to maintain compliance and security posture.

1. Immediate mitigation should involve implementing parameterized queries or prepared statements in the profile.php code to eliminate direct concatenation of user input into SQL commands. 2. Employ rigorous input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied data fields, especially those influencing database queries. 3. Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of potential injection attacks. 4. Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block SQL Injection payloads targeting profile.php endpoints. 5. Conduct thorough code reviews and security testing (including automated and manual penetration testing) focusing on SQL Injection vectors. 6. Monitor application logs for unusual database query patterns or errors indicative of injection attempts. 7. If vendor patches become available, prioritize timely application. 8. Consider isolating or temporarily disabling vulnerable functionality if immediate patching is not feasible. 9. Educate developers and administrators on secure coding practices related to database interactions. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on concrete code-level and operational controls tailored to the profile.php injection vector.