CVE-2026-14701: SQL Injection in Code-projects Internship Management System 1.0

Technical summary

The vulnerability resides in employer/details/change_password.php and affects the Password Change Endpoint. The 'Current' parameter lacks proper input validation and parameterized query protection, allowing SQL injection (CWE-89) through improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-74). The flaw is network-accessible and requires only standard user-level authentication. CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 reflects the medium severity: an authenticated attacker gains limited confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact without requiring user interaction.

Business impact

An authenticated insider or compromised low-privilege account can extract employee records, employer credentials, or other sensitive information stored in the application database. The integrity impact means attackers could modify password hashes, employment records, or system configuration. While the scope is limited to the application itself, the combination of data theft and account manipulation poses meaningful risk to HR operations, applicant privacy, and internal credential security.

Affected systems

Code-projects Internship Management System version 1.0 is vulnerable. Organizations running this application—particularly educational institutions, recruitment firms, or internship coordinators—should inventory their deployments. The vulnerability only affects this specific version; verify your deployment version against your vendor documentation to confirm exposure.

Exploitability

The attack requires valid authentication credentials, which limits the attack surface compared to unauthenticated exploits. However, many internship management systems have broad user enrollment, and public exploit code now exists, reducing the technical barrier. Any user with a valid account—including interns, applicants, or junior staff—can attempt exploitation. The attack is network-based with no special client-side requirements.

Remediation

Upgrade to a patched version of the Internship Management System beyond 1.0 (verify the specific patch version in the vendor advisory). If upgrading is not immediately possible, restrict database user privileges to read-only where feasible, implement web application firewalls with SQL injection detection rules, and enforce strict input validation on password change endpoints. Review access logs for suspicious SQL error messages or unusual database queries.

Patch guidance

Contact code-projects directly for patch availability and timelines. Vendor advisories typically specify minimum safe versions; apply patches in a test environment first. If the vendor has released a version beyond 1.0, prioritize deployment within your change management window. Monitor vendor security announcements for any additional mitigation recommendations.

Detection guidance

Monitor application logs for SQL syntax errors, unusual quote characters, or comment sequences (-- or /*) in password change requests. Database query logs may show unexpected table enumeration or data extraction attempts. Web application firewall rules should flag requests containing common SQL injection payloads in the 'Current' parameter. Intrusion detection systems can be tuned to detect outbound data exfiltration following suspicious database queries.

Why prioritize this

Although the CVSS score is medium (6.3), the combination of public exploit availability and the human element (credential reuse, weak password practices) elevates risk. Internship management systems often contain PII on students and job applicants, making them attractive targets for credential harvesting or identity theft. The authentication requirement does provide a practical friction point, but should not be treated as sufficient protection given the sensitive nature of the data typically stored.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.3 (medium) reflects a network-accessible, low-complexity attack requiring valid credentials but no user interaction. Impact is limited to confidentiality, integrity, and availability within the application scope (not the entire system). The score appropriately places this below critical and high severity thresholds. However, context matters: if your internship platform processes thousands of applicants or if attackers routinely obtain low-level credentials through phishing, the real-world risk may warrant treating this as a higher priority than the base score suggests.

Frequently asked questions