CVE-2016-15020 in database
Summary
by MITRE • 01/16/2023
A vulnerability was found in liftkit database up to 2.13.1. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function processOrderBy of the file src/Query/Query.php. The manipulation leads to sql injection. Upgrading to version 2.13.2 is able to address this issue. The name of the patch is 42ec8f2b22e0b0b98fb5b4444ed451c1b21d125a. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-218391.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-15020 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the liftkit database component version 2.13.1 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the processOrderBy function located within the src/Query/Query.php file, making it a particularly dangerous exposure for systems utilizing this database library. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate database queries through improper input handling, potentially enabling unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability has been assigned the identifier VDB-218391 and represents a significant security risk that requires immediate attention from system administrators and developers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within the processOrderBy function, which processes order by clauses in database queries. When user-supplied data is directly incorporated into sql statements without proper escaping or parameterization, attackers can inject malicious sql code that bypasses normal security controls. This particular flaw falls under the CWE-89 category of sql injection vulnerabilities, which is classified as a critical weakness in software security. The vulnerability allows for arbitrary sql command execution, potentially enabling attackers to extract sensitive information, modify database contents, or even escalate privileges within the affected system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it can lead to complete system takeover when exploited properly. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can bypass authentication mechanisms, access confidential database records, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects not just individual database queries but entire database applications that rely on the liftkit library for query processing. Organizations using affected versions face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential financial losses due to unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Mitigation of this vulnerability requires immediate upgrading to version 2.13.2 of the liftkit database component, which contains the patch identified by the commit hash 42ec8f2b22e0b0b98fb5b4444ed451c1b21d125a. System administrators should prioritize this upgrade across all affected environments and verify that the patch has been properly applied through configuration management tools. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their database environments to identify any other potential sql injection vulnerabilities that may exist within their application stack. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper input validation and parameterization techniques that prevent malicious sql code from being executed within database queries. Security teams should also implement additional monitoring and logging controls to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the mitre ATT&CK framework for database security operations.