CVE-2014-5090 in Status2k
Summary
by MITRE
admin/options/logs.php in Status2k allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the Location field in Add Logs in the Admin Panel.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5090 resides within the Status2k web application's administrative interface, specifically in the admin/options/logs.php file. This flaw represents a critical command injection vulnerability that affects authenticated administrators with administrative privileges. The vulnerability manifests when administrators attempt to add log entries through the admin panel, particularly when manipulating the Location field within the Add Logs functionality. The core issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, creating an environment where maliciously crafted input can be interpreted as shell commands rather than mere text data. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category of Command Injection, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a command execution technique under the T1059.001 sub-technique, where adversaries leverage injection flaws to execute arbitrary commands on the target system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated administrative account, which significantly reduces the attack surface compared to vulnerabilities requiring unauthenticated access. However, the impact remains severe as administrators typically possess elevated privileges and system access. When an attacker with administrative credentials submits malicious input containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks into the Location field, the application fails to properly sanitize this input before processing it within a shell context. The application's failure to properly escape or validate the Location field input allows the shell metacharacters to be interpreted by the underlying operating system, enabling arbitrary command execution. This command execution can potentially allow attackers to gain full control over the affected system, escalate privileges, or perform other malicious activities such as data exfiltration or system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-5090 extends beyond simple command execution, as it represents a fundamental security flaw that can lead to complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute system commands with the privileges of the web application user, which typically runs with elevated permissions on the server. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, system file manipulation, privilege escalation to root or administrator accounts, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability's persistence lies in its server-side nature, meaning that once exploited, the attacker can maintain access and continue executing commands without requiring repeated authentication. The lack of proper input validation creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly by authenticated attackers, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on administrative access for system management. Organizations using Status2k applications are at risk of complete system compromise if this vulnerability is not addressed promptly.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5090 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms to prevent command injection attacks. The most effective approach involves implementing proper input sanitization by escaping or removing shell metacharacters from user-supplied data before processing it within a shell context. Organizations should also implement proper output encoding and validation to ensure that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before being processed. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that administrative accounts have minimal necessary permissions and that administrative functions are properly logged and monitored. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious input patterns. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Patch management procedures should be established to ensure that all software components are kept up-to-date with the latest security fixes, as this vulnerability was likely addressed in subsequent versions of the Status2k application. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit administrative access to only authorized personnel and establish multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.