CVE-2009-2340 in Opial
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in admin/index.php in Opial 1.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the txtUserName (aka User Name) parameter. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2340 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Opial 1.0 content management system, specifically affecting the administrative interface at admin/index.php. This vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. The affected parameter txtUserName, which corresponds to the User Name field, serves as the primary attack vector for malicious actors seeking to exploit this weakness.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits maliciously crafted SQL code through the txtUserName parameter, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and potentially gaining unauthorized access to the underlying database system. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly incorporated into SQL command strings without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of SQL injection to manipulate database queries and extract sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the database user account. This could result in complete database compromise, including unauthorized data modification, deletion, or extraction of sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, and system configuration details. The administrative interface being compromised also provides attackers with potential access to system management functions, enabling further escalation of privileges and persistent access to the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the Opial 1.0 system to address the input validation shortcomings in the admin/index.php file. Organizations should implement proper parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure that user input is properly separated from SQL command structures. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened to reject or sanitize potentially malicious characters and patterns commonly associated with SQL injection attacks. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense, while regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies and maintaining up-to-date security practices to protect against persistent threats targeting database systems and administrative interfaces.