CVE-2014-3783 in Dotclear
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in admin/categories.php in Dotclear before 2.6.3 allows remote authenticated users with the manage categories permission to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the categories_order parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3783 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Dotclear content management system prior to version 2.6.3. This vulnerability specifically affects the administrative categories management functionality, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary database commands. The flaw exists in the admin/categories.php script where user input is inadequately sanitized before being incorporated into SQL query constructions, thereby exposing the underlying database to malicious manipulation attempts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the categories_order parameter which is processed without proper input validation or sanitization. When authenticated users with category management permissions submit malicious input through this parameter, the system fails to properly escape or encode the input before incorporating it into database queries. This allows attackers to inject additional SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the affected database user, potentially enabling full database compromise. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 as a SQL injection weakness, specifically demonstrating how insufficient input validation leads to unauthorized command execution within database contexts.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Dotclear installations as it requires only authenticated access with category management permissions to exploit. This means that attackers who have gained access to administrative accounts or have been granted specific permissions can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or even escalate privileges further within the system. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can potentially use this vulnerability to establish persistent access or deploy additional malicious payloads within the database environment. The vulnerability affects all versions of Dotclear prior to 2.6.3, making it a widespread concern for organizations that have not updated their systems.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2014-3783 centers on upgrading to Dotclear version 2.6.3 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and parameter validation for the categories_order parameter. Organizations should also implement immediate access controls to limit administrative permissions to only trusted users and monitor for suspicious activity in administrative interfaces. Security measures should include input validation at multiple levels, proper parameterization of database queries, and regular security audits of web applications. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocol and T1190 for exploitation of remote services, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive strategies against authenticated attack vectors targeting web application components.