CVE-2014-2245 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the News module in CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) before 1.11.10 allows remote authenticated users with the "Modify News" permission to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the sortby parameter to admin/moduleinterface.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The CVE-2014-2245 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the News module of CMS Made Simple versions prior to 1.11.10. This vulnerability specifically targets the admin/moduleinterface.php endpoint where the sortby parameter is processed without adequate input validation or sanitization. The flaw enables authenticated attackers who possess the "Modify News" permission to manipulate database queries through malicious input, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by users with limited administrative rights within the CMS environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a weakness where untrusted input is directly incorporated into SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization. The flaw occurs in the application's data handling process where user-supplied parameters are concatenated directly into SQL query strings rather than being properly bound as parameters or escaped. This design flaw allows attackers to inject malicious SQL syntax that gets executed by the database engine, potentially enabling full database compromise. The sortby parameter serves as the attack vector, where an attacker can manipulate the sorting logic of news items to inject SQL commands that bypass normal access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges within the CMS environment. Successful exploitation could allow unauthorized users to access sensitive administrative functions, modify content, or even gain access to other user accounts within the system. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the server, and the authenticated requirement only needs a valid user account with news modification privileges. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have administrative access or where user accounts may be compromised through other means.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through patching to CMS Made Simple to version 1.11.10 or later. The fix typically involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries for all user-supplied parameters. Security measures should include regular vulnerability scanning, monitoring of administrative interfaces, and ensuring that users are granted only the minimum necessary permissions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1046 for network service scanning, as attackers may use this flaw to establish persistent access and further explore the system. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring can provide additional layers of defense against such attacks.