CVE-2016-9488 in Applications Manager
Summary
by MITRE
ManageEngine Applications Manager versions 12 and 13 suffer from remote SQL injection vulnerabilities. An unauthenticated attacker is able to access the URL /servlet/MenuHandlerServlet, which is vulnerable to SQL injection. The attacker could extract users' password hashes, which are MD5 hashes without salt, and, depending on the database type and its configuration, could also execute operating system commands using SQL queries.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9488 affects ManageEngine Applications Manager versions 12 and 13, representing a critical remote SQL injection flaw that exposes sensitive system components to unauthorized access. This vulnerability resides within the web application's servlet component at the URL path /servlet/MenuHandlerServlet, which serves as an entry point for attackers to exploit the underlying database communication mechanisms. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the application's request processing pipeline, allowing malicious SQL payloads to be directly executed against the backend database without proper authentication or authorization checks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting specially formatted HTTP requests that manipulate the servlet's parameter handling to inject malicious SQL commands into the database query execution context. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in software applications. When successfully exploited, the attack allows an unauthenticated remote threat actor to extract user credential information from the database, specifically MD5 password hashes that lack cryptographic salt values, making them more susceptible to rainbow table attacks and offline cracking attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as the attack surface includes potential command execution capabilities depending on the database backend configuration and underlying operating system permissions. This dual nature of the vulnerability means that attackers could not only compromise user accounts but potentially escalate their privileges to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the application server. The lack of proper input validation and parameterized query usage creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate database queries to perform unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion operations, while also potentially enabling arbitrary code execution through database-specific features such as xp_cmdshell in Microsoft SQL Server environments or similar command execution capabilities in other database systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network-level restrictions to prevent access to the vulnerable servlet endpoint, application firewalls to filter suspicious SQL patterns, and database access controls to limit the privileges of database accounts used by the application. The remediation process requires updating to patched versions of ManageEngine Applications Manager, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase, and conducting comprehensive security assessments to identify additional potential injection points. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect anomalous SQL query patterns and establish regular security audits to ensure proper configuration of database systems and prevention of similar vulnerabilities in future application deployments.