CVE-2010-1053 in Zen Time Tracking
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Zen Time Tracking 2.2 and earlier, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) username and (2) password parameters to (a) userlogin.php and (b) managerlogin.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1053 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Zen Time Tracking versions 2.2 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the PHP configuration parameter magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote attackers to manipulate database queries through carefully crafted input parameters. The flaw impacts two primary authentication endpoints within the application, namely userlogin.php and managerlogin.php, making it particularly dangerous as it directly targets user authentication mechanisms that form the foundation of application security.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the username and password parameters passed to the authentication scripts. When magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL query constructions, enabling attackers to inject malicious SQL code that executes with the privileges of the database user. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-89 which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL fragments into input data that is then processed by an interpreter. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding that violates fundamental security principles for database interaction.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1053 extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain complete control over the database backend. Attackers could extract sensitive user credentials, manipulate time tracking data, modify user permissions, or even escalate privileges to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system. The vulnerability affects both standard users and administrators through the managerlogin.php endpoint, creating a comprehensive attack surface that could compromise the entire application ecosystem. This type of vulnerability is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes exploitation of remote services through injection attacks, and T1078 which covers valid accounts usage for persistence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several defensive measures including enabling magic_quotes_gpc, implementing proper input validation and sanitization, utilizing prepared statements or parameterized queries, and applying the latest security patches from the vendor. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block SQL injection attempts, conduct regular security assessments of authentication mechanisms, and establish robust monitoring for unusual database access patterns. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input handling and the dangers of relying on deprecated security measures that depend on PHP configuration settings rather than defensive programming practices.