CVE-2024-50766 identifies a critical SQL Injection vulnerability in the SourceCodester Survey Application System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the takeSurvey.php file, where the id parameter is improperly sanitized, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL queries. This injection flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the backend database without requiring authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, which covers improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the vulnerability's high exploitability (network attack vector, no privileges required, no user interaction) and its severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Exploiting this flaw could allow attackers to extract sensitive data, modify or delete records, or disrupt application availability. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the ease of exploitation and critical impact make it a significant threat. The lack of available patches necessitates immediate attention to mitigation strategies to prevent exploitation. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices, especially input validation and the use of parameterized queries in web applications handling user input.

The impact of CVE-2024-50766 is severe for organizations using the SourceCodester Survey Application System 1.0. Successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the backend database, exposing sensitive survey data and potentially other connected systems. Confidentiality is at high risk as attackers can extract personal or proprietary information. Integrity can be compromised through unauthorized data modification or deletion, undermining the reliability of survey results. Availability may also be affected if attackers execute destructive queries or cause database crashes. This can disrupt business operations, damage reputation, and lead to regulatory compliance violations, especially if personal data is involved. Given the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, it can be exploited remotely and at scale, increasing the risk of widespread attacks. Organizations relying on this survey system for critical data collection or decision-making processes face significant operational and security risks.

To mitigate CVE-2024-50766, organizations should immediately review and update the takeSurvey.php script to implement proper input validation and sanitization for the id parameter. The most effective mitigation is to refactor the code to use prepared statements with parameterized queries, which prevent SQL injection by separating code from data. If source code modification is not immediately possible, consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block SQL injection attempts targeting the id parameter. Restrict database user permissions to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of any successful injection. Monitor logs for suspicious query patterns or repeated access attempts to the vulnerable endpoint. Additionally, conduct a thorough security audit of all input handling in the application to identify and remediate similar injection flaws. Organizations should also stay alert for any official patches or updates from the vendor and apply them promptly once available.