CVE-2026-3261 is a SQL injection vulnerability identified in the itsourcecode School Management System version 1.0. The vulnerability exists in the /settings/index.php file within the Setting Handler component, where the 'ID' parameter is not properly sanitized before being used in SQL queries. This allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to inject malicious SQL code by manipulating the 'ID' argument, potentially leading to unauthorized access to or modification of the backend database. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction or privileges, making it easier to exploit remotely. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9, reflecting a medium severity level due to the partial impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and the lack of authentication or user interaction requirements. While no active exploits have been reported in the wild, the exploit code has been published, increasing the likelihood of exploitation attempts. The affected product is primarily used in educational environments to manage school data, which often includes sensitive personal information about students and staff. The lack of available patches or official fixes at the time of disclosure means organizations must implement immediate mitigations to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices, especially input validation and the use of parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks.

The impact of CVE-2026-3261 on organizations using itsourcecode School Management System 1.0 can be significant. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive student and staff information, including personal identification and academic records, compromising confidentiality. Attackers may also alter or delete data, affecting the integrity and reliability of school management operations. Additionally, SQL injection can be leveraged to execute administrative commands on the database server, potentially disrupting availability through data corruption or denial-of-service conditions. Since the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication or user interaction, it poses a high risk of automated attacks and widespread exploitation once exploit code is publicly available. Educational institutions often have limited cybersecurity defenses, increasing their vulnerability to such attacks. The breach of sensitive educational data can lead to regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruptions, affecting students, staff, and stakeholders globally.

To mitigate CVE-2026-3261, organizations should immediately implement the following specific measures: 1) Apply strict input validation on the 'ID' parameter in /settings/index.php, ensuring only expected data types and formats are accepted. 2) Refactor the code to use parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent SQL injection, avoiding direct concatenation of user inputs into SQL commands. 3) Conduct a comprehensive code review of the entire application to identify and remediate similar injection flaws. 4) Monitor database logs and application behavior for unusual queries or access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Restrict database user privileges to the minimum necessary to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 6) If an official patch becomes available from itsourcecode, prioritize its deployment. 7) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block SQL injection payloads targeting the vulnerable endpoint. 8) Educate development and IT teams on secure coding practices and the importance of regular security assessments. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice and address the root cause and exploitation vectors specific to this vulnerability.