CVE-2013-1453 in Joomla
Summary
by MITRE
plugins/system/highlight/highlight.php in Joomla! 3.0.x through 3.0.2 and 2.5.x through 2.5.8 allows attackers to unserialize arbitrary PHP objects to obtain sensitive information, delete arbitrary directories, conduct SQL injection attacks, and possibly have other impacts via the highlight parameter. Note: it was originally reported that this issue only allowed attackers to obtain sensitive information, but later analysis demonstrated that other attacks exist.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1453 represents a critical object deserialization flaw within the Joomla! content management system affecting versions 2.5.x through 2.5.8 and 3.0.x through 3.0.2. This vulnerability exists in the highlight.php plugin located within the system plugins directory, specifically in the handling of the highlight parameter. The issue stems from improper input validation and unsafe object unserialization practices that allow remote attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted malicious input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the highlight parameter which is processed without adequate sanitization or validation. When the application receives a specially crafted highlight parameter containing serialized PHP objects, it attempts to unserialize these objects without proper security checks. This unsafe unserialization process creates multiple attack vectors including information disclosure, directory traversal and deletion capabilities, and SQL injection opportunities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-502 which describes weaknesses related to unsafe deserialization of untrusted data, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged for multiple attack types within a single exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted across the Joomla installations and can be exploited remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on the platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-1453 should focus on immediate patching of affected Joomla! versions to the latest secure releases. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures for all user-supplied data, particularly parameters that may be processed through object serialization mechanisms. Network-based mitigations including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to deserialization attacks and privilege escalation. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the application stack. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized system modifications and data access attempts. The incident underscores the critical need for proper object validation and the dangers of unsafe deserialization practices in web applications.