CVE-2011-4638 in WebTitan
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in SpamTitan WebTitan before 3.60 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via (1) the username parameter to login-x.php, and allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (2) bldomain, (3) wldomain, or (4) temid parameter to urls-x.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4638 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting SpamTitan WebTitan versions prior to 3.60. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution through maliciously crafted SQL commands, creating significant security risks for organizations relying on this email filtering solution. The flaw exists in the authentication and URL management components of the web interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both unauthenticated attackers and authenticated users with limited privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web application's database interaction layers. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability through multiple entry points, specifically targeting the username parameter in login-x.php and three additional parameters in urls-x.php. The username parameter in login-x.php allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands during the authentication process, potentially enabling unauthorized access to the system. The bldomain, wldomain, and temid parameters in urls-x.php provide authenticated users with opportunities to execute arbitrary SQL commands, suggesting that the application does not properly escape or parameterize user-supplied input before database queries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk landscape for organizations using SpamTitan WebTitan. The ability to execute arbitrary SQL commands means attackers could potentially access, modify, or delete sensitive data including user credentials, email filtering rules, and system configurations. The vulnerability's classification as a remote exploit without requiring authentication for the login-x.php component particularly amplifies its threat level, as it allows attackers to compromise systems from outside the network perimeter. Additionally, the fact that authenticated users can also exploit these vulnerabilities suggests that privilege escalation or data manipulation attacks could occur even within compromised user accounts.
The security implications extend beyond immediate data compromise to include potential lateral movement within network environments and persistent backdoor establishment. Attackers could leverage these SQL injection points to extract database schemas, access user accounts, modify email filtering policies, or even gain deeper system access. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability map to several ATT&CK techniques including credential access through database breaches and privilege escalation via malicious SQL commands. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the long-term exposure could result in significant data loss, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. The remediation process should include comprehensive input validation implementation, parameterized queries, and proper database access controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future application versions.