CVE-2015-4627 in Pragyan
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Pragyan CMS 3.0.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2022
The CVE-2015-4627 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in Pragyan CMS version 3.0, a content management system widely used for educational institutions and organizations. This vulnerability resides within the application's database interaction mechanisms, specifically in how user input is processed and incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the CMS database. The vulnerability affects the system's authentication and data retrieval functionalities, making it particularly dangerous for environments where user credentials and institutional data are managed through the platform. This issue demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and secure coding practices that has been classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities. The attack vector typically involves manipulating parameters in HTTP requests, particularly those related to user login, search functions, or administrative operations within the CMS interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites and can be achieved through standard web application penetration testing methodologies. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when submitted through vulnerable input fields, will execute arbitrary SQL commands within the database context. This occurs because the CMS application does not properly escape or parameterize user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential complete system compromise, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized administrative access, data modification, or even database server takeover. The flaw demonstrates poor application architecture where dynamic SQL construction is employed without adequate security controls, violating fundamental principles of secure software development. According to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, which involves leveraging vulnerabilities in externally accessible applications to gain unauthorized access to systems. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the CMS environment, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on this platform for their digital infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing Pragyan CMS 3.0 must implement immediate remediation measures to address this vulnerability, as it represents a significant risk to their information security posture. The primary mitigation strategy involves applying the official security patches released by the Pragyan CMS development team, which typically include proper input validation and parameterized query implementations. System administrators should also implement additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls should be enforced to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application and its dependencies. The vulnerability's classification as a high-severity issue according to CVSS scoring systems underscores the urgency of remediation efforts. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect anomalous query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure coding practices as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which emphasize the critical nature of addressing SQL injection vulnerabilities in web applications.