CVE-2026-14692: SQL Injection in SourceCodester Grocery Management System

Technical summary

The vulnerability resides in the save_shop_type function within classes/Master.php, a component responsible for handling POST parameter input. The function fails to properly sanitize or parameterize SQL queries before execution, allowing an attacker with valid authentication to craft malicious POST requests containing SQL injection payloads. The affected versions (1.0 and 5.7.26) do not employ prepared statements or input validation robust enough to prevent SQL command injection. This allows an authenticated remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL against the underlying database.

Business impact

Exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive customer data (profiles, orders, payment information), modification of product listings or pricing, deletion of transaction records, or system downtime. For a grocery management platform handling multi-vendor transactions, data integrity compromise poses significant compliance risks (PCI-DSS for payment data, GDPR for customer information) and could damage vendor and customer trust. Business continuity may be impacted if database operations are disrupted.

Affected systems

SourceCodester Multi-Vendor Online Grocery Management System version 1.0 and version 5.7.26 are confirmed affected. Organizations running these versions in production or testing environments should assume they are at risk. The vulnerability is platform-agnostic and affects any deployment regardless of operating system or hosting environment, provided the PHP-based application is running.

Exploitability

The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 (Medium severity). Exploitation requires an authenticated user account (PR:L), but does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be performed remotely (AV:N) over standard network protocols. The attack complexity is low (AC:L), meaning no special conditions or timing are needed. Public exploit code is now available, reducing the barrier to entry for potential attackers. This combination of factors makes exploitation accessible to attackers with basic SQL injection knowledge and valid credentials.

Remediation

Immediate action is to update to a patched version of SourceCodester Multi-Vendor Online Grocery Management System. Verify the availability of security patches from the vendor. In the interim, implement network-level access controls to restrict access to the application to trusted users only, consider Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection patterns in POST parameters, and enforce strong authentication policies to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Conduct a database audit to detect any unauthorized modifications or data exfiltration.

Patch guidance

Check SourceCodester's official website or security advisories for available patches beyond versions 1.0 and 5.7.26. Apply patches promptly to all affected installations. If patches are unavailable or delayed, prioritize environments containing sensitive customer or payment data for remediation first. Test patches in a staging environment before production deployment to ensure compatibility with multi-vendor workflows and integrations.

Detection guidance

Monitor database query logs for unusual SQL patterns, particularly within the save_shop_type function execution context. Look for POST requests to the affected endpoint containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, dashes, asterisks, parentheses, UNION, SELECT keywords). Implement query logging at the database layer to capture any injection attempts. Security teams should search for malicious POST payloads in web server access logs and WAF logs. Check for unexpected database schema changes or unauthorized data access patterns occurring around the time of the vulnerability disclosure.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability should be prioritized due to the combination of public exploit availability, authenticated but low-privilege access requirements, and potential for significant data breach or integrity compromise. For organizations operating grocery or e-commerce platforms with multi-vendor functionality, the risk of customer data exposure and payment processing compromise elevates urgency. The CVSS 6.3 (Medium) score reflects moderate impact, but the availability of working exploits and relatively straightforward attack vector warrant rapid patching.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 reflects a Medium severity rating based on network accessibility (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), authentication requirement (PR:L), no user interaction needed (UI:N), and impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:L, I:L, A:L). The authentication requirement prevents unauthenticated exploitation, which moderates the score. However, the low complexity and public exploit code availability suggest real-world risk may exceed the numeric score in many deployments.

Frequently asked questions