CVE-2026-5554: SQL Injection in Concert Ticket Reservation System Search

CVE-2026-5554: SQL Injection in Concert Ticket Reservation System Search

A SQL injection vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-5554 has been disclosed in code-projects Concert Ticket Reservation System 1.0, a PHP-based open-source ticketing application. The flaw resides in the search functionality at process_search.php and is remotely exploitable, posing a significant data exposure risk for any internet-accessible deployment.

The vulnerability was assigned a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.3 (High) and classified under CWE-89 — Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in SQL Commands.

Vulnerability Overview

Technical Details

Affected Component

The vulnerability exists in the search processing module of the Concert Ticket Reservation System. When a user submits a search query, the application passes the searchi parameter directly into a SQL query without input sanitization or parameterized query binding.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can manipulate the searchi parameter to inject arbitrary SQL statements. Because the parameter is processed without escaping or validation, standard SQL injection payloads execute directly against the backend database:

POST /ConcertTicketReservationSystem-master/process_search.php
searchi=test' OR '1'='1
searchi=test' UNION SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL--

Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to:

• Enumerate all database tables — including user accounts, bookings, and payment records
• Extract sensitive user data — names, emails, and contact information of ticket purchasers
• Harvest application credentials — admin usernames and password hashes stored in the database
• Manipulate event and booking data — insert, modify, or delete concert and reservation records
• Bypass access controls — if search results influence application logic

Attack Flow

1. Attacker identifies an internet-exposed Concert Ticket Reservation System instance

2. Attacker sends a crafted POST request to process_search.php

3. The searchi parameter receives a SQL injection payload (e.g., ' OR '1'='1)

4. Unsanitized input is appended directly into a SQL query

5. Database responds with unintended result sets exposing sensitive data

6. Attacker extracts user records, event data, and admin credentials

Affected Software Context

code-projects is an open-source PHP project repository commonly used for academic and educational purposes. The Concert Ticket Reservation System 1.0 is distributed as a learning tool for PHP developers and students studying web application development.

Despite the educational origin, these applications are frequently deployed in production environments without security hardening — especially by small event organizers and student-run platforms. Multiple recent CVEs across code-projects applications reflect a systemic lack of input validation throughout their PHP codebase.

Remediation

Immediate Steps

No official patch has been released. Operators running this software should apply the following mitigations immediately:

1. Restrict public access — Block the application from internet exposure using firewall rules or .htaccess restrictions until the code can be patched
2. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) — Enable SQL injection detection rules via ModSecurity, Cloudflare WAF, or equivalent
3. Parameterize all queries — Replace raw string concatenation with PDO prepared statements in process_search.php
4. Rotate database credentials — If the application has been internet-accessible, treat credentials as compromised
5. Audit access logs — Review server logs for anomalous POST requests to process_search.php

Code-Level Fix

The root cause is direct parameter interpolation in SQL queries. The fix requires switching to parameterized queries:

// Vulnerable pattern
$query = "SELECT * FROM concerts WHERE name LIKE '%" . $_POST['searchi'] . "%'";
 
// Secure pattern (PDO prepared statement)
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("SELECT * FROM concerts WHERE name LIKE ?");
$stmt->execute(['%' . $_POST['searchi'] . '%']);

Impact Assessment

Key Takeaways

1. CVE-2026-5554 is a CVSS 7.3 SQL injection in code-projects Concert Ticket Reservation System 1.0, affecting the search endpoint
2. The searchi POST parameter is passed directly into SQL without sanitization, enabling full database access
3. A public exploit exists, raising urgency for any exposed deployment
4. No official patch is available — restrict access and deploy WAF rules immediately
5. This follows a well-documented pattern of SQL injection vulnerabilities across code-projects PHP applications — treat any production deployment as requiring a full security audit

Sources

• CVE-2026-5554 — NIST NVD