Simple Attendance System unauth SQLi bypass (CVE-2026-37749) [PoC]

Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability in Simple Attendance Management System version 1.0 allows any remote attacker to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to the application. The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-37749 and carries a maximum CVSS score of 9.8.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability exists in the index.php file. The system does not properly sanitize user input passed through the username parameter. An attacker can craft a malicious SQL payload that manipulates the database query used for login verification. This allows them to log in as any user, including an administrator, without a valid password.

Impact

Successful exploitation grants an attacker the same level of access as a legitimate user. With administrative access, an attacker could view, modify, or delete all attendance records, manipulate user accounts, and potentially access the underlying server depending on database permissions. As the attack requires no authentication and is of low complexity, the risk of exploitation is high.

Affected Products

This vulnerability specifically affects CodeAstro Simple Attendance Management System version 1.0. Other versions may also be affected if the vulnerable code is present.

Remediation and Mitigation

As of this advisory, no official patch or updated version is available from the vendor.

Immediate Mitigations:

1. Network Isolation: Restrict network access to the application to only trusted internal networks. Do not expose it directly to the internet.
2. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF in front of the application configured with rules to block SQL injection patterns. This provides virtual patching.
3. Input Validation: If source code access is available, implement strict input validation and parameterized queries for all user inputs, especially in the login function.
4. Monitor Logs: Closely monitor application and database logs for suspicious login attempts or SQL error messages.

Organizations should consider the risk of using unpatched software and evaluate migrating to a supported alternative if patches are not forthcoming. For more on the consequences of unaddressed vulnerabilities, see our breach reports.

Security Insight

This vulnerability is a stark example of the persistent risk in niche, low-cost web applications often deployed without thorough security review. The pattern of SQLi in login pages is decades-old, yet continues to appear, highlighting a gap in secure development practices for smaller vendors. It mirrors incidents in other SMB-focused software where a single flaw can lead to complete system compromise, underscoring the need for defense-in-depth, like network segmentation, even for internal applications.

Further Reading

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