CVE-2015-2798 in Contact Form Maker
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Joomla! Component Contact Form Maker 1.0.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2025
The CVE-2015-2798 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in the Joomla! Contact Form Maker component version 1.0.1. This vulnerability resides within the component's handling of user input parameters, specifically the 'id' parameter that is processed without adequate sanitization or validation. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL code directly into the database query execution flow, potentially enabling full database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
This vulnerability operates through the standard SQL injection attack vector where user-supplied input is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper escaping or parameterization. The 'id' parameter serves as the primary attack surface, as it is likely used to fetch specific contact form records from the database. When an attacker manipulates this parameter with malicious SQL payloads, the application fails to properly sanitize the input before incorporating it into database queries. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications, making it a well-documented and widely recognized security weakness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise, unauthorized privilege escalation, and potential system takeover. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive user data, modify or delete database records, and potentially establish persistent access through database-level backdoors. The remote nature of the attack means that any user with access to the vulnerable Joomla! site can exploit this flaw without requiring local system access. 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 the compromised system to further propagate their attack through the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2798 should include immediate patching of the Contact Form Maker component to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks in their applications. Additionally, database access controls should be strictly enforced, with minimal privileges granted to application accounts. Web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Security audits should include comprehensive testing of all user input parameters and database query execution paths to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application stack. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping all third-party components updated, as this flaw existed in an outdated version of the component and could have been prevented through timely patch management processes.