How a 17-Year-Old Ethically Hacked His School’s ERP System—And What You Can Learn From It

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Introduction

Raghav Arora, a 17-year-old ethical hacker, uncovered a critical vulnerability in his school’s ERP system—one that allowed full account takeover and fake notifications. His responsible disclosure earned him a Cyber Award and serves as a case study in ethical hacking. Here’s how he did it and what cybersecurity professionals can learn from his approach.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand common vulnerabilities in school management systems (ERP).
  • Learn key penetration testing techniques for web applications.
  • Discover best practices for responsible disclosure and bug bounty reporting.

You Should Know

1. Identifying Injection Vulnerabilities

Command:

' OR '1'='1' --

What It Does:

This classic SQL injection payload bypasses authentication by tricking the database into returning all records.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Enter the payload in the login form’s username or password field.
  2. If the system is vulnerable, it logs you in as the first user in the database (often an admin).
  3. Use tools like Burp Suite or SQLmap to automate exploitation.

2. Exploiting Session Hijacking via Cookies

Command (Browser DevTools):

document.cookie="admin_session=stolen_token";

What It Does:

Modifies session cookies to impersonate another user.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Inspect cookies using Chrome DevTools (F12 → Application → Cookies).
  2. Replace your session token with a stolen/hijacked one.
  3. Refresh the page—you’ll be logged in as the victim.

3. Bypassing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Command (URL Manipulation):

https://school-erp.com/admin?user_id=1337

What It Does:

Tests insecure direct object references (IDOR) by changing parameters to access unauthorized data.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Log in as a student and note your user_id.
  2. Change the `user_id` in the URL to a teacher/admin ID.
  3. If the system doesn’t validate permissions, you gain elevated access.

4. Spoofing Notifications (XSS Attack)

Command:

<script>fetch('/send_notification?message=Holiday!');</script>

What It Does:

Injects malicious JavaScript to send fake notifications.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Find an input field (e.g., announcements) that doesn’t sanitize HTML/JS.
  2. Inject the script—when an admin views it, it triggers unauthorized actions.

5. Securing the System (Mitigation Steps)

Commands (Server Hardening):

 Enable WAF rules in Nginx 
sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf 
add "modsecurity on;"

What It Does:

Activates a web application firewall (WAF) to block SQLi/XSS attacks.

Step-by-Step:

1. Install ModSecurity for Nginx/Apache.

2. Configure OWASP Core Rule Set (CRS).

  1. Test with payloads to ensure attacks are blocked.

What Undercode Say

  • Key Takeaway 1: School ERP systems are often vulnerable due to poor coding practices and lack of security audits.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Ethical hacking isn’t about exploitation—it’s about improving security through responsible disclosure.

Analysis:

Raghav’s discovery highlights a systemic issue: many educational software vendors neglect security. His approach—reporting the bug instead of exploiting it—sets a precedent for young hackers. Expect more student-led security research as Gen Z embraces ethical hacking.

Prediction

With the rise of low-code/no-code school ERPs, vulnerabilities like Raghav’s will increase. By 2026, we’ll see stricter cybersecurity mandates for ed-tech providers—or more breaches.

Final Word: Whether you’re a student or a pro, ethical hacking starts with curiosity and ends with responsibility. Happy (legal) hacking! 🔒💻

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Reported By: Thatraghavarora Dreamcometrue – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
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