CVE-2019-25728: Care2x 2.7 Unauthenticated SQL Injection – Severity 8.2 (HIGH)

Technical summary

CVE-2019-25728 is an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability in Care2x 2.7 stemming from insufficient input validation on the ck_config cookie parameter (CWE-89). The vulnerability permits arbitrary SQL command execution across multiple attack surfaces, including login.php, indexframe.php, and various module files. The lack of parameterized query usage or input sanitization allows attackers to inject malicious SQL payloads directly into cookie values, which are then executed against the backend database. No authentication is required, and the attack surface is extensive given the number of affected endpoints.

Business impact

Successful exploitation results in unauthorized database access, enabling attackers to extract confidential data such as user credentials, personal health information (given Care2x's healthcare focus), patient records, or other sensitive business data. The confidentiality breach is classified as HIGH in the CVSS vector. While the vulnerability does not directly permit data modification or system disruption, the reputational and regulatory damage from unauthorized data exfiltration—particularly in healthcare contexts—could be severe. Organizations face potential HIPAA violations, notification requirements, and loss of customer trust.

Affected systems

Care2x version 2.7 is confirmed vulnerable. No vendor product list was provided in the advisory, so confirmation of whether this is an open-source project, commercial offering, or both should be verified against Care2x's official documentation. If other versions exist, they should be tested independently; patch status must be confirmed with the Care2x project maintainers or security advisories.

Exploitability

This vulnerability has a low barrier to exploitation. No user interaction is required, no authentication is needed, and the attack can be delivered over the network. The CVSS score of 8.2 (HIGH) reflects these factors. Attackers need only craft HTTP requests with malicious SQL payloads in the ck_config cookie—a technique well within the reach of script kiddies and commodity exploit tools. The simplicity of cookie manipulation and SQL injection attack patterns makes this a high-risk vulnerability for any exposed Care2x 2.7 instance.

Remediation

Organizations running Care2x 2.7 must immediately verify whether a patched version is available from the Care2x project maintainers. If no patch exists, implement emergency mitigations: apply strict input validation and parameterized queries to all database operations involving the ck_config cookie, enforce Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection patterns in cookies, restrict network access to the application, and consider disabling or air-gapping the instance until a fix is available. Urgent security review of all database access logs is essential to determine if the vulnerability has been exploited.

Patch guidance

Check the official Care2x project repository and security advisories for a patched version. The vulnerability was modified on 2026-06-17, so patches may have been released after that date. Verify patch availability by consulting the vendor's official channels before deploying. If running Care2x 2.7 in production, prioritize patching or upgrading as the highest security action. Test patches in a non-production environment first given the criticality of the vulnerability.

Detection guidance

Monitor for SQL injection attempts in HTTP cookie data, particularly the ck_config parameter. Log and alert on unusual SQL keywords or syntax appearing in cookie values (SELECT, UNION, INSERT, DROP, etc.). Monitor database query logs for unexpected commands originating from the application layer. Implement network-based IDS/IPS signatures for Care2x SQL injection patterns. Review web server access logs for requests to login.php, indexframe.php, and module endpoints with suspicious cookie values. Correlate failed authentication attempts with subsequent database queries to detect exploitation attempts.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability merits immediate prioritization due to the combination of unauthenticated access, high confidentiality impact, network-exploitable nature, and ease of exploitation. No authentication requirement significantly lowers the attacker bar. Any Care2x 2.7 instance reachable from an untrusted network is at acute risk of data exfiltration. Healthcare organizations running Care2x face compounded urgency due to regulatory obligations and sensitivity of patient data.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 8.2 (HIGH) is driven by: Attack Vector = Network (AV:N), meaning remote exploitability without physical access; Attack Complexity = Low (AC:L), indicating no special conditions needed; Privileges Required = None (PR:N), confirming unauthenticated exploitation; User Interaction = None (UI:N), showing no user action is required to trigger the flaw; Scope = Unchanged (S:U), indicating the impact is confined to the vulnerable component; Confidentiality Impact = High (C:H), reflecting unrestricted database read access; Integrity Impact = Low (I:L), as the vector shows limited modification capability; and Availability Impact = None (A:N). The score appropriately reflects a critical confidentiality breach requiring urgent remediation.

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