CVE-2011-4674 in Zabbix
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in popup.php in Zabbix 1.8.3 and 1.8.4, and possibly other versions before 1.8.9, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the only_hostid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4674 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Zabbix monitoring platform, specifically affecting versions 1.8.3 and 1.8.4, with potential impact extending to earlier releases before 1.8.9. This vulnerability resides within the popup.php script, which serves as a component for displaying popup windows containing host-related information within the Zabbix web interface. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the only_hostid parameter, creating an exploitable condition that enables malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the underlying database query execution process. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection attacks, and aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. The security implications are severe as this allows attackers to execute unauthorized database operations with the privileges of the database user account used by Zabbix, potentially leading to complete database compromise and unauthorized access to monitoring data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious request to the popup.php endpoint with a specially formatted only_hostid parameter value that contains SQL payload content. The application processes this parameter directly within a SQL query without proper input validation or parameterization, allowing the attacker to manipulate the query structure and execute arbitrary commands against the database backend. This type of injection attack can potentially enable attackers to perform data extraction, modification, or deletion operations, and may also allow for privilege escalation within the database environment. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input sanitization practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent such attacks. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Zabbix is commonly used for critical infrastructure monitoring, making the potential impact of such an exploit significant for organizations relying on the platform for system health and security monitoring.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to include potential system-wide disruption and unauthorized access to sensitive monitoring information. Organizations using affected Zabbix versions may face exposure of critical system metrics, host configurations, and monitoring data that could be leveraged for further attacks within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability also represents a potential entry point for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or establish persistent access within monitored environments. Security teams should consider this vulnerability as part of their threat modeling exercises, particularly in environments where Zabbix is used for monitoring sensitive systems or where database access controls are not properly enforced. The exploitation of this vulnerability can be automated and does not require specialized knowledge beyond basic SQL injection techniques, making it particularly dangerous in environments with limited security monitoring. Organizations should immediately implement patch management procedures to upgrade to Zabbix 1.8.9 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4674 should include immediate patch deployment to all affected Zabbix installations, along with comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also implement web application firewall rules to block suspicious SQL injection patterns targeting the popup.php endpoint, particularly focusing on parameter values containing SQL keywords or injection payloads. Database access controls should be reviewed to ensure that the Zabbix database user account has minimal required privileges, following the principle of least privilege. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Zabbix deployments to identify any other potentially affected components or scripts that may contain similar input validation flaws. The remediation process should include verification that the patch has been successfully applied and that no unauthorized modifications have been made to the application code. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other components of the monitoring infrastructure, with particular attention to input validation practices across all web application interfaces.