CVE-2015-7299 in Blackpearl
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Runtime/Runtime/AjaxCall.ashx in K2 blackpearl, smartforms, and K2 for SharePoint 4.6.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the xml parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2022
The CVE-2015-7299 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in the K2 blackpearl platform, specifically within the Runtime/Runtime/AjaxCall.ashx component. This vulnerability affects multiple K2 products including smartforms and K2 for SharePoint version 4.6.7, making it a widespread concern for organizations utilizing these enterprise workflow solutions. The flaw resides in how the system processes the xml parameter, which is typically used for handling asynchronous web requests within the platform's runtime environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the AjaxCall.ashx handler, which directly incorporates user-supplied xml parameter data into SQL query construction without proper escaping or parameterization. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands that are then executed by the underlying database engine. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for environments where the platform is exposed to untrusted networks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates severe risk for organizations using K2 platforms as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the backend databases. Successful exploitation could result in data theft, data manipulation, privilege escalation, and potentially full system compromise. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of business processes managed by K2, which often contain sensitive corporate information, employee data, and business-critical workflow information. Organizations with extensive K2 deployments face significant risk of exposure across their entire workflow infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting remote services and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying vendor patches, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting comprehensive input validation for all user-supplied parameters. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of vulnerable components, while regular security assessments should be performed to identify similar vulnerabilities in other platform components. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure no regression issues are introduced while maintaining system functionality.