CVE-2014-8766 in Allomani Weblinks
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Allomani Weblinks 1.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) cat parameter in a browse action to index.php or (2) unspecified parameters to admin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/30/2022
The CVE-2014-8766 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw in Allomani Weblinks version 1.0, a web-based link management system that was widely used for organizing and categorizing internet resources. This vulnerability exposes the application to remote code execution attacks through improper input validation mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects two distinct attack vectors within the application's codebase, creating multiple entry points for malicious actors to exploit database access controls and potentially gain unauthorized administrative privileges. The vulnerability's severity stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user inputs before incorporating them into database queries, which directly violates fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through two primary attack vectors that leverage the application's handling of user-supplied data. The first vector involves the cat parameter within the browse action of index.php, where an attacker can manipulate the category identifier to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed against the underlying database. The second vector targets unspecified parameters within admin.php, which suggests the vulnerability extends beyond a single endpoint to encompass administrative functions. Both attack paths demonstrate a classic lack of proper parameterized queries or input sanitization, allowing attackers to craft SQL statements that bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary database commands. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, which represents one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws according to the CWE database.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-8766 extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could result in complete database compromise, unauthorized administrative access, and potential lateral movement within affected networks. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive user information, modify or delete database records, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the application infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or insider knowledge of the internal network structure to exploit these flaws. Organizations using Allomani Weblinks 1.0 would face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly if the affected database contained personally identifiable information or other sensitive data. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that many organizations may not have proper network segmentation or monitoring in place to detect such attacks, making the exploitation process more straightforward for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8766 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected Allomani Weblinks 1.0 installation, as this represents the most effective defense against the vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application code to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The application should be configured with least privilege database accounts that restrict the executed commands to only those necessary for normal operation. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all web applications to identify similar input validation flaws, particularly focusing on legacy systems that may not have received regular security updates. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) as attackers may use DNS tunneling to exfiltrate data from compromised systems. The vulnerability also aligns with the NIST SP 800-53 security controls that emphasize the importance of input validation, access control, and vulnerability management to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information systems.