CVE-2024-44658 identifies a SQL Injection vulnerability in PHPGurukul Complaint Management System version 2.0. The vulnerability exists in the 'subcategory' and 'category' parameters within the subcategory.php script, which fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This improper input validation allows an unauthenticated attacker to inject arbitrary SQL code remotely over the network without any user interaction. Exploiting this flaw could enable attackers to read sensitive data from the backend database or modify data, impacting confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability does not affect system availability and does not require privileges or authentication, increasing its risk profile. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability is assigned a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level. The underlying weakness corresponds to CWE-89, a common and well-understood injection flaw. No patches or fixes have been linked yet, indicating that affected organizations must implement mitigations proactively. The vulnerability's presence in a complaint management system suggests potential exposure of sensitive user complaints and organizational data if exploited.

For European organizations, exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive complaint data, including personally identifiable information (PII) or confidential organizational information, thereby violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. Data integrity could also be compromised, undermining trust in complaint records and potentially affecting legal or compliance processes. Although availability is not impacted, the reputational damage and regulatory penalties from data breaches could be significant. Public sector entities or companies relying on PHPGurukul Complaint Management System for citizen or customer feedback are particularly at risk. The ease of exploitation without authentication increases the threat level, especially for organizations with internet-facing deployments of this system. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for remediation before widespread attacks occur.

Organizations should immediately audit their use of PHPGurukul Complaint Management System 2.0 and identify any internet-facing instances of subcategory.php. In the absence of official patches, implement input validation and sanitization on the 'subcategory' and 'category' parameters, employing parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection. Restrict database user permissions to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of any injection attempts. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules targeting SQL injection patterns on these parameters. Conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focused on injection flaws. Monitor logs for suspicious query patterns or repeated access attempts to vulnerable endpoints. Plan for timely updates once official patches become available. Additionally, ensure compliance with GDPR by assessing potential data exposure and notifying authorities if a breach is suspected.