CVE-2012-0994 in ZenPhoto
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Manage Albums feature in zp-core/admin-albumsort.php in ZENphoto 1.4.2 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the sortableList parameter.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2012-0994 represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in ZENphoto version 1.4.2 within the manage albums functionality. This issue exists in the admin-albumsort.php file where the sortableList parameter is improperly handled, creating an avenue for malicious exploitation. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative interface of the content management system, making it particularly dangerous as it requires only authenticated access rather than privileged credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the sortableList parameter processing. When authenticated users interact with the album sorting feature, the application fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed within the database context, potentially enabling full database compromise. The flaw aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as a direct result of insufficient input validation and improper query construction.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents significant risks to ZENphoto installations as it enables authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. Attackers could potentially extract sensitive information, modify or delete database records, escalate privileges, or even gain unauthorized access to the system. The impact is particularly severe because the vulnerability resides within administrative functionality, meaning that an attacker with valid user credentials could leverage this flaw to gain deeper system access. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites, as it only necessitates authenticated access to the system. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where user accounts might be compromised through other means such as credential theft or social engineering. The attack surface extends to any installation running ZENphoto 1.4.2 where administrators use the album management features. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader security assessment, particularly focusing on input validation controls and database security measures. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper parameter handling in web applications, especially within administrative interfaces where the potential impact of exploitation is magnified.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected ZENphoto installations to version 1.4.3 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries would prevent similar issues in the future. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input sanitization measures as additional protective layers against SQL injection attacks. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.