CVE-2015-8974 in MyBB
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Group Promotions module in the admin control panel in MyBB (aka MyBulletinBoard) before 1.6.18 and 1.8.x before 1.8.6 and MyBB Merge System before 1.8.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2020
The CVE-2015-8974 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the Group Promotions module of MyBB, a widely deployed bulletin board system used by numerous websites and online communities. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin control panel functionality and exists in versions prior to 1.6.18 and 1.8.x versions before 1.8.6, as well as the MyBB Merge System before 1.8.6. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands through unspecified vectors, potentially compromising the entire underlying database infrastructure. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of sql injection, which is consistently ranked among the top cybersecurity risks by the owasp foundation and represents a fundamental weakness in data validation and input sanitization processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the Group Promotions module's administrative interface. When administrators interact with the promotion management functionality, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters before incorporating them into sql queries. This lack of proper input filtering creates an exploitable entry point where malicious actors can inject crafted sql payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate database operations. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be present across multiple parameter handling points within the module, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can potentially leverage various input fields to achieve their objectives.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with complete database control capabilities. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive user information including usernames, passwords, and personal data, modify or delete existing promotions, and potentially escalate privileges to gain full administrative control over the bulletin board system. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability exists in the admin control panel, meaning that compromising this module could provide attackers with elevated privileges to modify system configurations, install malicious code, or establish persistent backdoors. Additionally, since MyBB is commonly used for community forums, the compromise of such systems could result in widespread data breaches affecting thousands of users.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies focusing on both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The primary and most critical step involves upgrading to the patched versions of MyBB 1.6.18, 1.8.6, and the corresponding MyBB Merge System versions. Beyond patching, security teams should conduct thorough code reviews of the Group Promotions module and implement proper input validation mechanisms using parameterized queries and prepared statements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit administrative access to trusted networks only. According to mitre att&ck framework, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation and persistence tactics, as attackers could use it to establish long-term access to systems. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and database activity monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their entire software ecosystem.