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Vulnerability record · CVE-2016-2555 · published 13 April 2017

CVE-2016-2555: ATutor searchFriends SQL injection in mysql_connect.inc.php

Atutor · Atutor

ATutor 2.2.1 passes the searchFriends function input from friends.inc.php into SQL through include/lib/mysql_connect.inc.php without proper sanitization, allowing SQL injection. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can run arbitrary SQL against the backend database, which can expose or alter all application data.

9.8 CVSS 3.0 Critical EPSS 80% · top 0.4% CWE-89 · SQL injection
9.8CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 7.5
80%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
10References, 2 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

SQL injection vulnerability in include/lib/mysql_connect.inc.php in ATutor 2.2.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the searchFriends function to friends.inc.php.

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Automated analysis

Generated by VULONE's analysis model from the NVD record, CISA KEV and EPSS data on 18 September 2026. Confidence: high.

critical priorityCVSS 3.0 score is 9.8 with network, no-auth, no-interaction access, and public exploit code is available.

What it is

ATutor 2.2.1 passes the searchFriends function input from friends.inc.php into SQL through include/lib/mysql_connect.inc.php without proper sanitization, allowing SQL injection. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can run arbitrary SQL against the backend database, which can expose or alter all application data.

Impact

An attacker gains arbitrary SQL execution against the ATutor database, enabling read, modification, or deletion of user, course, and credential data. Depending on database privileges, this can extend to broader database or host compromise.

Attack surface

Reachable over the network through the friends.inc.php searchFriends function; the CVSS vector indicates no authentication and no user interaction are required.

Exploitation

Not listed in CISA KEV, but EPSS is 0.79622 (99.586th percentile) and references include Exploit-DB and a Rapid7 Metasploit module, indicating public exploit code exists.

What to do

  • Apply the vendor patches referenced in the ATutor commits 629b2c99 and 945a9dca, or upgrade past 2.2.1.
  • If patching is not immediately possible, restrict network access to ATutor and block requests to friends.inc.php from untrusted sources.
  • Use parameterized queries or strict input validation for the searchFriends parameter as a code-level fix.
  • Run the ATutor database account with least privilege to limit the scope of any successful injection.

Detection

  • Review web and database logs for SQL syntax errors or anomalous queries originating from friends.inc.php.
  • Monitor for requests to friends.inc.php with searchFriends parameters containing SQL metacharacters such as quotes, UNION, or comment sequences.
  • Alert on unexpected database reads or writes involving user and course tables outside normal application behavior.

This assessment is produced automatically and is not human-reviewed. Verify against the vendor advisory before acting on it.

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://sourceincite.com/research/src-2016-08/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryURL Repurposed
http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/atutor_sqli Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://github.com/atutor/ATutor/commit/629b2c992447f7670a2fecc484abfad8c4c2d298 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/atutor/ATutor/commit/945a9dca01def8536516088da30fe6a4b7e9fa85 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39514/
http://sourceincite.com/research/src-2016-08/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryURL Repurposed
http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/atutor_sqli Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://github.com/atutor/ATutor/commit/629b2c992447f7670a2fecc484abfad8c4c2d298 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/atutor/ATutor/commit/945a9dca01def8536516088da30fe6a4b7e9fa85 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39514/

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Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2016-2555), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.