CVE-2016-5939 in Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Kenexa LMS on Cloud is vulnerable to SQL injection. A remote attacker could send specially-crafted SQL statements, which could allow the attacker to view, add, modify or delete information in the back-end database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
IBM Kenexa Learning Management System on Cloud presents a critical SQL injection vulnerability that fundamentally compromises database security through improper input validation mechanisms. This vulnerability exists within the application's handling of user-supplied data, where insufficient sanitization allows malicious SQL commands to be executed directly against the backend database infrastructure. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL syntax through input fields, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive organizational learning data including employee training records, course materials, and administrative information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard SQL injection attack patterns where an attacker crafts malicious input that bypasses normal application validation controls. When the application processes user input without proper parameterization or input filtering, the injected SQL commands execute within the database context with the privileges of the application's database user account. This creates a pathway for attackers to perform unauthorized data operations including data retrieval, modification, or deletion of critical learning management system information. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access as it can enable privilege escalation and potentially lead to full system compromise through database-based attack vectors.
Operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for organizations relying on IBM Kenexa LMS for workforce training and development programs. The exposure of sensitive employee learning records, training completion data, and course content represents significant privacy and compliance risks. Organizations may face regulatory violations under data protection frameworks such as gdpr and hipaa, depending on the nature of training content stored within the system. The ability to modify or delete training records could disrupt business operations and compromise the integrity of employee competency tracking systems. Additionally, the vulnerability's remote exploitability means attackers can target the system from outside the organization's network perimeter, increasing the attack surface and reducing the effectiveness of traditional network security controls.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and parameterized query execution throughout the application codebase. Organizations must ensure that all user inputs are properly sanitized and validated before processing, utilizing prepared statements and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of the vulnerable system components. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1046 for network service scanning that could lead to database exploitation. Organizations should also implement database activity monitoring and intrusion detection systems to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts, ensuring comprehensive protection against this and similar database injection vulnerabilities.