CVE-2013-10044 in OpenEMR
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2025
An authenticated SQL injection vulnerability exists in OpenEMR ≤ 4.1.1 Patch 14 that allows a low-privileged attacker to extract administrator credentials and subsequently escalate privileges. Once elevated, the attacker can exploit an unrestricted file upload flaw to achieve remote code execution, resulting in full compromise of the application and its host system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2013-10044 represents a critical security flaw in OpenEMR version 4.1.1 Patch 14 and earlier, demonstrating a classic multi-stage attack vector that exploits authentication bypass and privilege escalation mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the application's database interaction layer where insufficient input validation allows malicious SQL queries to be executed against the backend database system. The flaw specifically affects the authentication and authorization mechanisms, enabling a low-privileged user to manipulate database queries through crafted input parameters that are not properly sanitized or escaped before being processed by the database engine.
The technical exploitation of this SQL injection vulnerability follows a well-defined pattern that aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a persistent flaw in software applications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including administrator credentials, user hashes, and potentially database schema information. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that an attacker must first establish a valid user session, but once achieved, the low privilege requirement significantly reduces the attack surface. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data extraction as it provides the foundation for privilege escalation, allowing attackers to assume administrative roles within the application.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe and can result in complete system compromise when combined with subsequent exploitation techniques. Once administrative credentials are obtained through SQL injection, attackers can leverage the unrestricted file upload vulnerability that exists in the same application version to deploy malicious code directly onto the server. This progression demonstrates how a single vulnerability can serve as a launching point for multiple attack vectors, ultimately leading to remote code execution and full system control. The combination of these flaws creates a dangerous escalation path that can bypass traditional security controls and provide attackers with persistent access to the underlying infrastructure.
Security practitioners should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that address both the immediate SQL injection vulnerability and the broader architectural issues that allow for privilege escalation and remote code execution. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation, parameterized queries, and principle of least privilege implementations. Organizations should prioritize patching to the latest OpenEMR versions that contain fixes for both the SQL injection and file upload vulnerabilities, while also implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. This vulnerability underscores the critical need for regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs that can identify and remediate such multi-layered attack paths before they can be exploited by malicious actors. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of attack under privilege escalation and persistence techniques, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures that address both the initial compromise and the subsequent exploitation phases.