CVE-2022-43233 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability identified in Canteen Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the userid parameter of the /php_action/fetchSelectedUser.php endpoint. SQL injection (CWE-89) occurs when untrusted input is improperly sanitized, allowing an attacker to manipulate backend SQL queries. In this case, the userid parameter is vulnerable, enabling an attacker with high privileges (PR:H) and no user interaction (UI:N) to execute arbitrary SQL commands remotely over the network (AV:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system, as an attacker could extract sensitive data, modify or delete records, or disrupt service. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.2, reflecting a high severity due to the ease of exploitation (low attack complexity), no user interaction required, and the broad impact on data and system integrity. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk if the system is exposed to untrusted networks or users. The lack of vendor or product information limits the ability to identify specific affected deployments, but the vulnerability is tied to a specialized application used for canteen management, likely in institutional or corporate environments.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be substantial, especially for entities relying on the affected Canteen Management System or similar custom-built applications. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to personal or financial data of employees or customers, data corruption, or service disruption. This could result in regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to data breaches, reputational damage, and operational downtime. Organizations in sectors such as education, healthcare, corporate offices, or government facilities that use such canteen management solutions are at risk. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for lateral movement within internal networks, increasing the risk of broader compromise.

Specific mitigation steps include: 1) Immediate code review and remediation of the vulnerable userid parameter to implement proper input validation and use of parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. 2) Restrict network access to the affected endpoint to trusted internal networks only, using firewalls or network segmentation. 3) Implement strict access controls and ensure that only authorized users with minimal privileges can access the vulnerable functionality. 4) Conduct thorough security testing of the entire application to identify and remediate other potential injection points. 5) Monitor logs for suspicious database queries or unusual user activity related to the fetchSelectedUser.php endpoint. 6) If possible, replace or upgrade the canteen management system to a vendor-supported, regularly updated solution with a strong security posture. 7) Educate developers and administrators on secure coding practices and the risks of SQL injection.