CVE-2013-4715 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware 6 LTS before 6.13LTS, 9 LTS before 9.7LTS, 10.x before 10.4, and 11.x before 11.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2022
The CVE-2013-4715 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware versions prior to specific patch releases. This vulnerability affects multiple major branches of the CMS including the 6 LTS series before 6.13LTS, 9 LTS before 9.7LTS, 10.x series before 10.4, and 11.x series before 11.1. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands through unspecified input vectors, potentially compromising the entire database infrastructure. The flaw resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input that is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. The impact of such a vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft as it allows attackers to manipulate database contents, extract sensitive information, modify user credentials, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected system. The Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware platform, being a comprehensive content management system, would typically store user accounts, content management data, configuration settings, and other sensitive information in its underlying database. When exploited, this vulnerability provides attackers with the capability to perform unauthorized database operations that could lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-4715 is severe and multifaceted, affecting both the confidentiality and integrity of the targeted systems. Remote exploitation means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to exploit this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw could be triggered through multiple entry points within the CMS, including but not limited to user authentication forms, search functionalities, content management interfaces, or any component that processes user input and incorporates it into database queries. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract administrative credentials, modify or delete content, inject malicious code, or even establish persistent backdoors through database manipulation. The attack surface is further expanded given that Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware is often deployed in enterprise environments where it may contain sensitive organizational data, user information, and business-critical content. The vulnerability's presence in multiple LTS versions indicates that it was likely present for an extended period, giving attackers ample opportunity to discover and exploit it in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4715 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to patched versions of Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware, specifically versions 6.13LTS, 9.7LTS, 10.4, and 11.1 respectively, which contain the necessary code fixes to prevent SQL injection attacks. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped or parameterized before being incorporated into database queries. The implementation of prepared statements or parameterized queries should be mandatory across all database interactions within the application. Security professionals should consider deploying web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring database accounts used by the CMS have minimal required permissions and access only necessary database objects. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those addressing injection flaws and improper error handling. Organizations should also implement proper logging and monitoring of database activities to detect unauthorized access attempts and potential exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services, while the T1078 technique covers legitimate credential use that may be obtained through such attacks.