CVE-2014-6293 in Statistics Extension
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Statistics (ke_stats) extension before 1.1.2 for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors, as exploited in the wild in February 2014.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The CVE-2014-6293 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the ke_stats extension for TYPO3 content management systems. This vulnerability existed in versions prior to 1.1.2 and enabled remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against affected systems. The flaw was actively exploited in the wild during February 2014, demonstrating its significance and the immediate threat it posed to web applications using TYPO3 with the vulnerable extension. The vulnerability specifically targeted the Statistics extension, which is commonly used for tracking website analytics and user behavior data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the ke_stats extension's database interaction mechanisms. Attackers could manipulate input parameters that were directly incorporated into SQL queries without adequate escaping or parameterization. This classic SQL injection vector allowed malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL code that would be executed by the database server. The unspecified attack vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple entry points within the extension could be exploited, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be triggered through various user interactions or API calls within the statistics functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification. Successful exploitation could lead to complete database compromise, allowing attackers to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and business-critical information stored within the TYPO3 system. Additionally, attackers could potentially escalate privileges within the database, modify or delete data, and in some cases gain shell access to the underlying server through database exploitation techniques. The widespread use of TYPO3 in enterprise environments meant that organizations running vulnerable versions faced significant risk of data breaches and system compromise.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released in version 1.1.2 of the ke_stats extension, which addressed the input validation issues and properly escaped database queries. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious database activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of TYPO3 installations should include verification of all installed extensions against known vulnerability databases. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a technique commonly catalogued in ATT&CK framework under T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. System administrators should also implement web application firewalls to help detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts, while maintaining comprehensive logging of database activities to facilitate forensic analysis if compromise occurs.