CVE-2013-1349 in openSIS
Summary
by MITRE
Eval injection vulnerability in ajax.php in openSIS 4.5 through 5.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via the modname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2024
The CVE-2013-1349 vulnerability represents a critical server-side code injection flaw discovered in the openSIS student information system version 4.5 through 5.2. This vulnerability exists within the ajax.php script and specifically targets the modname parameter, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code on the affected system. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamic code execution contexts. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-94 category of "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 "Exploit Public-Facing Application" as it enables remote code execution through web application interfaces. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate the application's execution flow to run malicious code with the privileges of the web server process.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing PHP code within the modname parameter of the ajax.php endpoint. The application fails to properly validate or sanitize this input, allowing the injected code to be executed as part of the PHP script's runtime. This creates a persistent backdoor capability where attackers can establish remote access to the system, potentially leading to full compromise of the server and database. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it can be leveraged to escalate privileges, access sensitive student data, modify academic records, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for attacking other network resources. The flaw demonstrates poor input handling practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper parameter validation and output encoding in web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1349 is severe for educational institutions relying on openSIS for managing student information. Organizations face potential data breaches exposing sensitive personal information, academic records, and institutional data that could be subject to regulatory violations under privacy laws such as FERPA in the United States. The vulnerability creates an attack surface that can be exploited by automated scanning tools, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise multiple systems. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of educational services. Organizations may also face significant financial consequences including regulatory fines, legal liability, and reputational damage from data breaches. The vulnerability's persistence in multiple versions of the software indicates a systemic issue in the application's security architecture that requires immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1349 should focus on immediate patching of affected openSIS versions to the latest secure releases that address the input validation issues. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected application to untrusted networks. Input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to reject any non-standard characters or sequences that could indicate malicious intent, with proper sanitization of all user inputs before processing. Web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious patterns in HTTP requests targeting the vulnerable endpoint. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. System administrators should monitor for signs of compromise including unusual network traffic, unauthorized access attempts, and unexpected file modifications. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring capabilities can help detect exploitation attempts and provide forensic evidence for incident response activities. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the importance of regular vulnerability assessments in educational technology environments.