CVE-2015-4611 in Smoelenboek Extension
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Smoelenboek (ncgov_smoelenboek) extension before 1.0.9 for TYPO3 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2019
The CVE-2015-4611 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Smoelenboek extension for TYPO3 content management system, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0.9. This vulnerability resides in the ncgov_smoelenboek extension which is designed to manage contact data and directory services within TYPO3 environments. The flaw enables authenticated attackers to manipulate database queries through unspecified input vectors, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials to the TYPO3 system could leverage this weakness to gain elevated database privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. The vulnerability operates by failing to properly sanitize or escape user inputs before incorporating them into database queries. In the context of TYPO3's extension architecture, this typically occurs when user-supplied data is directly concatenated into SQL statements without appropriate validation or parameterization. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple input points within the extension could serve as attack surfaces, potentially including form submissions, URL parameters, or API endpoints that process user data. Attackers could craft malicious input that, when processed by the vulnerable extension, would alter the intended SQL query structure and execute unintended database operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4611 extends beyond simple data theft, as authenticated SQL injection can enable attackers to escalate privileges within the database environment. This vulnerability could allow adversaries to extract sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, or administrative access tokens stored in the database. Additionally, attackers could modify or delete critical contact directory information, potentially disrupting business operations or creating false data entries that could be used for further attacks. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities, making the impact more severe for organizations with compromised user accounts or weak access controls.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to the patched version 1.0.9 or later of the Smoelenboek extension, which would incorporate proper input validation and parameterized query execution. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of compromised accounts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and the principle of least privilege in web application security. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual database query patterns or unauthorized data access attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1071.005 Application Layer Protocol and T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, emphasizing the need for regular security assessments of third-party extensions and plugins within content management systems. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts of similar vulnerabilities.