CVE-2014-8340 in phpTrafficA
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Php/Functions/log_function.php in phpTrafficA 2.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via a User-Agent HTTP header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8340 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the phpTrafficA web analytics platform version 2.3 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the Php/Functions/log_function.php file and demonstrates a classic insecure input handling issue that enables remote attackers to manipulate the application's database operations. The attack vector specifically targets the User-Agent HTTP header, which is commonly used by web applications to track client browser information and is typically considered a benign component of http requests. However, in this case, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate this header before incorporating it into sql query construction, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious User-Agent header containing sql payload characters and sends it to the vulnerable phpTrafficA application. The application processes this unvalidated input directly into sql queries without proper escaping or parameterization, allowing the attacker to inject arbitrary sql commands that execute with the privileges of the database user account. This flaw maps directly to CWE-89 which defines improper neutralization of special elements used in sql commands, and represents a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices. The vulnerability demonstrates how even seemingly innocuous http headers can become attack vectors when applications fail to implement proper security controls for all input sources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise including unauthorized access to all stored information, potential data exfiltration, and in severe cases, the ability to escalate privileges or establish persistent access. Organizations using phpTrafficA versions 2.3 or earlier face significant risk of unauthorized database access, which could expose sensitive analytics data, user information, or potentially allow attackers to modify the application's behavior. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting web application protocols where the attacker manipulates http headers to achieve unauthorized access. The remote nature of this attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target network or system infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8340 must prioritize immediate remediation through patching the phpTrafficA application to version 2.4 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures for all http headers, including the User-Agent field, by employing parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent sql injection attacks. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense in depth, though they should not replace proper application-level fixes. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual User-Agent patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and regular security audits should verify that all input sources are properly validated before being processed by database operations. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices including the principle of least privilege for database accounts and implementing proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users.