CVE-2026-5034: SQL Injection in code-projects Accounting System 1.0

CVE-2026-5034: SQL Injection in Accounting System Customer Edit Endpoint

A SQL injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-5034 has been disclosed in code-projects Accounting System 1.0. The flaw is located in the /edit_costumer.php file, where the cos_id parameter is passed directly into a SQL query without sanitization or parameterization. An unauthenticated remote attacker can inject malicious SQL syntax through this parameter to read, modify, or delete database records, and potentially execute operating system commands if the database user has sufficient privileges.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.3 (High) and is classified under CWE-89 — Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command (SQL Injection), one of the most long-standing and dangerous classes of web application vulnerability.

Vulnerability Overview

Technical Details

Affected Component

The vulnerability exists in the customer edit endpoint (/edit_costumer.php) of the Accounting System application. This endpoint retrieves a customer record by its cos_id identifier for editing. The application does not validate, sanitize, or parameterize the cos_id value before embedding it in a SQL query, creating a classic SQL injection entry point.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can inject SQL syntax directly into the cos_id parameter via a simple HTTP request:

GET /edit_costumer.php?cos_id=1' OR '1'='1 HTTP/1.1
Host: target-site.example.com

More advanced payloads can be used to extract database contents using UNION-based or error-based techniques:

GET /edit_costumer.php?cos_id=1 UNION SELECT 1,username,password,4,5 FROM users-- HTTP/1.1
Host: target-site.example.com

Depending on the database configuration and MySQL user privileges, exploitation can enable:

• Data extraction — reading all customer, transaction, and user data from the database
• Authentication bypass — extracting or manipulating admin credentials
• Data modification — altering financial records, customer data, or application configuration
• Out-of-band exfiltration — using LOAD_FILE() or INTO OUTFILE for file read/write if MySQL permissions allow

Attack Flow

1. Attacker discovers an internet-accessible code-projects Accounting System installation

2. Attacker probes /edit_costumer.php?cos_id= with a single-quote injection test

3. Application returns a SQL error or unexpected response — confirming injection point

4. Attacker uses SQLMap or manual UNION injection to enumerate tables and extract data

5. Customer PII, financial transactions, and admin credentials are extracted from the database

6. With admin credentials, attacker gains authenticated access to the accounting system

7. Attacker may modify financial records, exfiltrate data, or maintain persistent access

SQL Injection Context

SQL injection has consistently ranked in the OWASP Top 10 as one of the most critical and prevalent web application vulnerabilities. Despite decades of awareness, unsanitized database queries remain common in custom-developed and educational PHP applications. The root cause is straightforward: user-controlled input is concatenated directly into SQL query strings instead of being handled through parameterized queries or prepared statements.

The impact profile for SQL injection is severe:

Remediation

Since no official patch has been confirmed for code-projects Accounting System 1.0, the following mitigations apply:

Immediate Mitigations

1. Take the application offline if it is internet-facing and no immediate code fix is possible
2. Restrict access via firewall — limit /edit_costumer.php to known trusted IP addresses using web server rules
3. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) — rules blocking SQL keywords in query parameters can provide interim protection
4. Audit database permissions — ensure the application's MySQL user has minimal privileges; revoke FILE, DROP, and GRANT permissions

Code-Level Fix

Replace the vulnerable direct parameter interpolation with a prepared statement:

// VULNERABLE — do not use
$sql = "SELECT * FROM customers WHERE cos_id = '" . $_GET['cos_id'] . "'";
 
// SECURE — use prepared statements with parameter binding
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM customers WHERE cos_id = ?");
$stmt->execute([$_GET['cos_id']]);
$row = $stmt->fetch();

Prepared statements ensure that user input is always treated as data, never as executable SQL syntax — eliminating the injection vector entirely.

Impact Assessment

Key Takeaways

1. CVE-2026-5034 is a CVSS 7.3 SQL injection vulnerability in code-projects Accounting System 1.0, exploitable by unauthenticated remote attackers
2. The cos_id parameter in /edit_costumer.php is embedded directly into SQL queries without sanitization or parameterization
3. A public exploit is available — automated exploitation via tools such as SQLMap requires minimal effort
4. No official patch has been confirmed — remove the application from internet-facing exposure immediately and apply prepared-statement fixes before redeployment
5. code-projects applications are commonly used in educational and small-business contexts; any public deployment should be urgently audited for similar injection flaws across all parameter-handling endpoints

Sources

• CVE-2026-5034 — NIST NVD