Executive Summary

CVE-2026-7118 is a time-based blind SQL Injection vulnerability found in the Employee Management System 1.0, specifically in the file 370project/cancel.php.

The vulnerability arises because user-controlled parameters, namely 'id' and 'token', are directly concatenated into an SQL UPDATE statement without proper sanitization or parameterization.

This allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code into the 'id' parameter, manipulating the database query executed by the system.

For example, an attacker can send a specially crafted GET request that causes the database to execute a time delay, confirming the injection and potentially allowing unauthorized actions.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can have several impacts on the affected system and its users.

• Unauthorized manipulation of leave-request statuses, such as cancelling leave requests without permission.
• Inference of database behavior or extraction of sensitive data through blind SQL injection techniques.
• Degradation of system availability by triggering time delays or expensive database operations, potentially leading to denial of service.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by sending specially crafted HTTP GET requests to the vulnerable endpoint and observing the response time for signs of SQL injection.

A common detection method is to inject a time-delay SQL payload into the `id` parameter and check if the server response is delayed accordingly.

For example, you can use the following curl command to test the vulnerability:

• curl -i "http://<target>/cancel.php?id=(select*from(select+sleep(10)union/**/select+1)a)&token=307"

If the response time increases by approximately 10 seconds compared to a baseline request without the payload, it confirms the presence of the SQL injection vulnerability.

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediate mitigation steps include sanitizing and parameterizing user inputs to prevent SQL injection.

Specifically, the vulnerable code should be changed to use prepared statements or parameterized queries instead of directly concatenating user inputs into SQL statements.

Additionally, applying web application firewall (WAF) rules to block suspicious SQL injection patterns and restricting access to the vulnerable endpoint can help reduce risk.

If possible, update or patch the Employee Management System to a version where this vulnerability is fixed.

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Compliance Impact

The vulnerability allows unauthorized manipulation of employee leave request statuses and potential inference of database behavior or data through SQL injection. Such unauthorized access and manipulation of data can lead to violations of data protection regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, which mandate the protection of personal and sensitive information from unauthorized access and alteration.

Specifically, the ability to alter leave request statuses without permission and infer database contents could compromise data integrity and confidentiality, key requirements under these regulations.

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