CVE-2011-1480 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in admin.php in the administration backend in Francisco Burzi PHP-Nuke 8.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the chng_uid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1480 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the administrative backend of PHP-Nuke version 8.0 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin.php script which serves as the primary interface for administrative functions within the content management system. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating the chng_uid parameter through maliciously crafted input, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive database information and administrative privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the chng_uid parameter which is processed without adequate security controls. When an attacker submits malicious input through this parameter, the application fails to properly sanitize the data before executing SQL commands against the backend database. This allows for the injection of arbitrary SQL code that can be executed with the privileges of the database user account used by the PHP-Nuke application. The vulnerability is classified as a classic SQL injection attack pattern that enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data retrieval, modification, deletion, and potentially arbitrary code execution depending on the database configuration and privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of the administrative backend, allowing attackers to gain full control over the PHP-Nuke installation. This includes the ability to modify or delete content, create new administrative accounts, access sensitive user data, and potentially escalate privileges to system-level access. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire web application infrastructure, as attackers can extract database credentials, user information, and other sensitive data stored within the system. Additionally, the compromised administrative access enables attackers to modify the application's core functionality and potentially establish persistent backdoors for future access.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique within the Credential Access and Execution phases, where attackers leverage injection vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access and execute commands. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to PHP-Nuke version 8.1 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved input sanitization mechanisms and enhanced database query handling procedures. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls, regular security audits, and input validation controls can provide additional layers of protection against similar injection attacks.