The Summar Employee Portal version 3.98.0 suffers from an authenticated SQL injection vulnerability, meaning that an attacker who has valid user credentials can inject malicious SQL code into the application's database queries. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient input validation or improper sanitization of user-supplied data within SQL statements. Since the attacker must be authenticated, the threat vector is limited to insiders or external attackers who have compromised legitimate accounts. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized disclosure, modification, or deletion of sensitive employee data stored in the backend database. The vulnerability is documented in Exploit-DB under ID 52462, with exploit details provided in text format, but no specific programming language exploit code is available. No patches or official remediation guidance have been released yet, and there are no reports of active exploitation in the wild. The lack of a CVSS score necessitates a severity assessment based on impact and exploitability factors. Given the potential for data compromise and the requirement for authentication, the vulnerability is rated as high severity. Organizations using this portal should conduct thorough security reviews, monitor for suspicious activity, and implement compensating controls to mitigate risk until a patch is available.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of employee data managed via the Summar Employee Portal. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to personal identifiable information (PII), payroll data, or other sensitive HR records, potentially resulting in data breaches subject to GDPR penalties. The requirement for authentication limits the attack surface but increases the risk from insider threats or credential compromise. Disruption or manipulation of employee data could also affect operational continuity and trust in HR systems. Organizations in sectors with stringent data protection requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government, may face heightened regulatory and reputational consequences. The absence of patches increases exposure time, necessitating proactive risk management. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as a foothold for lateral movement within corporate networks, escalating the overall threat landscape.

1. Immediately audit user accounts and restrict access to the Summar Employee Portal to only essential personnel. 2. Implement strict monitoring and logging of all database queries and user activities within the portal to detect anomalous behavior indicative of SQL injection attempts. 3. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules specifically designed to detect and block SQL injection payloads, especially for authenticated sessions. 4. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on all user inputs interacting with the database, even for authenticated users. 5. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 6. Isolate the employee portal database with strict network segmentation to limit lateral movement if exploited. 7. Engage with the vendor for timely patch releases and apply updates as soon as they become available. 8. Perform regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on authentication and database interaction layers. 9. Educate employees about phishing and credential security to prevent account takeover. 10. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing potential data breaches originating from this vulnerability.