CVE-2014-4649 in Piwigo
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the photo-edit subsystem in Piwigo 2.6.x and 2.7.x before 2.7.0beta2 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the associate[] field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2014-4649 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the photo-edit subsystem of Piwigo content management systems. This vulnerability affects versions 2.6.x and 2.7.x prior to 2.7.0beta2, specifically targeting authenticated administrator users who possess sufficient privileges to access the photo editing functionality. The flaw resides in how the system processes the associate[] field parameter, which is used within the photo-edit subsystem to manage associations between photos and various metadata elements.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of user-supplied input within the associate[] field parameter. When authenticated administrators interact with the photo-edit functionality, the system fails to adequately sanitize or validate the input data before incorporating it into SQL query construction. This lack of input validation creates a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious SQL commands that bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified as a classic SQL injection attack vector where crafted input can manipulate the underlying database queries to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote authenticated administrators to gain unauthorized access to the database system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information from the database, modify or delete photo metadata, manipulate user accounts, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. The fact that this affects administrator-level functionality means that successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the Piwigo installation and all associated data. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a significant risk to web application security.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and parameterized queries in preventing database injection attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services, specifically targeting web applications. Organizations using affected Piwigo versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the patched version 2.7.0beta2 or later, implementing proper input sanitization measures, and conducting thorough security audits of all subsystems that handle user-provided data. The vulnerability also highlights the critical need for regular security updates and the implementation of web application firewalls to detect and prevent such injection attacks. Additionally, organizations should enforce the principle of least privilege and implement monitoring systems to detect anomalous database access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.