CVE-2014-0137 in Cloudforms 3.0 Management Engine
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the saved_report_delete action in the ReportController in Red Hat CloudForms Management Engine (CFME) before 5.2.3.2 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors, related to MiqReportResult.exists.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-0137 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Red Hat CloudForms Management Engine version 5.2.3.2 and earlier. This security weakness specifically targets the saved_report_delete action within the ReportController component, which is part of the CFME framework designed for cloud infrastructure management. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and improper sanitization of user-supplied data within the MiqReportResult.exists method, creating an exploitable condition that enables malicious actors to manipulate database queries through authenticated access points.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of user input within the report deletion functionality. When authenticated users attempt to delete saved reports through the web interface, the system fails to adequately sanitize parameters passed to the MiqReportResult.exists method. This method subsequently constructs SQL queries without proper parameterization or input filtering, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL fragments that can be executed within the database context. The vulnerability is classified as a SQL injection attack under CWE-89, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation as it enables authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database system. This capability allows threat actors to potentially extract sensitive information, modify or delete database records, escalate privileges within the application, and potentially gain deeper access to the system infrastructure. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers must first obtain valid credentials, but this requirement does not significantly mitigate the risk given that credential compromise can occur through various attack vectors including phishing, password reuse, or compromised accounts. The vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1046 for remote services, as well as T1005 for data from local system and T1021 for remote services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the CFME system to version 5.2.3.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the SQL injection flaw. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including input validation at multiple layers, parameterized queries for all database interactions, and comprehensive monitoring of database activities for suspicious patterns. Network segmentation and privileged access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of the CFME environment and review access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can perform report deletion operations. Regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application stack. The fix addresses the core issue by implementing proper input sanitization and parameterized query construction in the ReportController's saved_report_delete action, preventing the injection of malicious SQL code through user-supplied parameters.