Pentest Report Writer - CVSS & Findings

I have processed the SQL injection finding for the web application report. I have assigned a CVSS v4.0 score and drafted the technical writeup with remediation steps.

Finding: Broken Authentication via SQL Injection

Description

The application's authentication endpoint is vulnerable to SQL injection. An attacker can supply crafted SQL syntax to bypass authentication mechanisms, allowing unauthorized access to administrative or user accounts without a valid password.

Reproduction Steps

1. Navigate to the login interface or the /api/v1/user endpoint.
2. Intercept the authentication request using a proxy tool.
3. Modify the username parameter to include a classic authentication-bypass SQL injection payload (defanged): ' OR 1[=]1--.
4. Submit the request. The server returns a 200 OK response and an active session token for the first user in the database.

Impact

Successful exploitation grants an attacker full access to user accounts. This leads to complete loss of confidentiality and integrity of user data, and potential lateral movement within the application environment.

Remediation

• Use Parameterized Queries: Implement prepared statements with variable binding for all database queries.
• Input Validation: Enforce strict allow-lists for all user-supplied input.
• ORM Security: If using an ORM, ensure it is configured to use secure abstraction layers that prevent injection.

Next steps

• Verify if this vulnerability exists on other API endpoints within the /api/v1/ path.
• Attach the request/response logs as Evidence Annex A in the final deliverable.
• Review the Executive Summary to ensure this Critical finding is highlighted as a top priority.