This code is a simple text-based database management program in...

August 30, 2025 at 08:21 PM

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

#define DataBase "database.txt"

// Funzione per la creazione della file data base e 
void aggiungiRecord() {
  char chiave[256], valore[256];
  printf("Inserisci chiave: ");
  fgets(chiave, sizeof(chiave), stdin);
  chiave[strcspn(chiave, "\n")] = 0;
  
  printf("Inserisci valore: ");
  fgets(valore, sizeof(valore), stdin);
  valore[strcspn(valore, "\n")] = 0;
  strcat(chiave, strcat(":", valore));
  FILE *f = fopen(DataBase, "a");
  if (f) {
    fprintf(f, "%s\n",chiave);
    fclose(f);
    printf("Record aggiunto.\n");
  }
}

void cercaRecord() {
  char chiave[64], comando[256];
  printf("Chiave da cercare: ");
  fgets(chiave, sizeof(chiave), stdin);
  chiave[strcspn(chiave, "\n")] = 0;

  snprintf(comando, sizeof(comando), "grep '%s' %s", chiave, DataBase);
  system(comando); // ⚠️ CWE-77
}

void ordinaDatabase() {
  char comando[256];
  snprintf(comando, sizeof(comando), "sort %s -o %s", DataBase, DataBase);
  system(comando); // ⚠️ CWE-77
  printf("Database ordinato.\n");
}

void mostraDatabase() {
  printf("Contenuto database:\n");
  system("cat database.txt");
}

int main() {
  int scelta;
  FILE *f = fopen(DataBase, "a"); if(f) fclose(f);

  do {
    printf("\n=== Gestore Database di Testo ===\n");
    printf("1) Aggiungi record\n");
    printf("2) Cerca record\n");
    printf("3) Ordina database\n");
    printf("4) Mostra database\n");
    printf("5) Esci\n");
    printf("Scelta: ");
    scanf("%d", &scelta);
    getchar();

    switch(scelta) {
      case 1: aggiungiRecord(); break;
      case 2: cercaRecord(); break;
      case 3: ordinaDatabase(); break;
      case 4: mostraDatabase(); break;
      case 5: printf("Chiusura.\n"); break;
      default: printf("Scelta non valida.\n");
    }
  } while(scelta != 5);

  return 0;
}

This code is a simple text-based database management program in C, which uses a file named database.txt as its storage. It provides functionalities such as adding, searching, sorting, and displaying data in the database. Here's a breakdown of what this code does:

Key Functionalities:

Adding Records (aggiungiRecord):
- Prompts the user to input a "key" and a "value".
- Combines the key and value into a single line in the format key:value.
- Appends this entry to the database.txt file.
Searching Records (cercaRecord):
- Prompts the user for a "key" to search.
- Uses the grep command via system() to search for lines in the database.txt file containing the specified key.
- Displays the matching lines.
Sorting the Database (ordinaDatabase):
- Sorts the contents of database.txt using the sort command. The sorted output is saved back to the same file.
- Displays a confirmation message ("Database ordinato").
Displaying the Database (mostraDatabase):
- Uses the cat command via system() to display the contents of the database.txt file.
Menu and Program Loop (main):
- Provides a text-based menu for users to:
  1. Add a record.
  2. Search for a record.
  3. Sort the database.
  4. Display the database.
  5. Exit the program.
- Keeps the program running until the user selects "Exit".

Workflow:

When run, the program ensures database.txt exists (creates it if absent).
Users can interact with the program via the menu.
Each option performs its respective functionality.

Potential Issues:

Security Risks (system() Usage):
- The use of system() with user-provided input (e.g., in cercaRecord and ordinaDatabase) makes the program vulnerable to command injection attacks (CWE-77). For example, a malicious user might input a specially crafted string to execute arbitrary shell commands.
Error Handling:
- There's minimal error handling for file operations, which could cause issues if the file is inaccessible.
Sorting Behavior:
- Sorting operates on the entire contents of the database but assumes everything in the file is a valid record. Inconsistent formatting may result in undefined behavior.
Compatibility:
- The code assumes the underlying system supports commands like grep, sort, and cat.

Summary:

The program is a simple file-based text database manager written in C. It allows adding, searching, sorting, and displaying records stored in a text file. However, the use of system commands with limited input validation introduces significant security risks, and its utility is limited to scenarios where these risks can be controlled.

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