CVE-2015-2564 in ProjectSend
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in client-edit.php in ProjectSend (formerly cFTP) r561 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter to users-edit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2025
The CVE-2015-2564 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in ProjectSend, formerly known as cFTP, version r561. This web application serves as a file sharing platform that allows users to manage and distribute files within organizations, making it a potentially attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise sensitive data. The vulnerability specifically resides in the client-edit.php component and manifests through improper input validation mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or parameterize user input when processing the id parameter passed to users-edit.php. When authenticated users interact with the client-edit.php functionality, they can manipulate the id parameter in a manner that bypasses normal input validation checks. This flaw falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, where untrusted data flows directly into SQL command construction without appropriate sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerability is classified as a remote authenticated attack vector because it requires users to have valid credentials to exploit, but once authenticated, they can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate the entire database structure and content. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive information including user credentials, file metadata, and potentially system configuration details. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ProjectSend is often deployed in enterprise environments where it may store confidential business documents and user authentication data. The vulnerability's classification as a remote authenticated SQL injection aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.005 for application layer protocol manipulation, where adversaries exploit application-specific vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to backend systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2564 should focus on immediate patching of the affected ProjectSend version to address the input validation flaws in the client-edit.php component. Organizations should implement proper parameterized queries or prepared statements throughout the application codebase to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components. Input validation should be strengthened to reject or sanitize all user-supplied parameters before database processing, with particular attention to the id parameter handling. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous database access patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other applications, as this flaw demonstrates the importance of robust input sanitization practices in web applications.