CVE-2016-9994 in Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud 9.0, and 10.0.0 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. IBM Reference #: 1976805.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9994 affects IBM Kenexa LCMS Premier on Cloud versions 9.0 and 10.0.0, representing a critical SQL injection flaw that exposes the system to remote exploitation. This vulnerability resides within the database interaction layer of the application, where user input is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries. The flaw allows malicious actors to manipulate database operations through crafted input parameters that are directly executed without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter sanitization within the application's database access components. When legitimate user inputs are processed through the system's query construction logic, attackers can inject malicious SQL code that bypasses normal security controls. This occurs because the application fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied data before incorporating it into database commands, creating an environment where arbitrary SQL statements can be executed with the privileges of the database user account.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with comprehensive database access capabilities. Successful exploitation enables unauthorized users to perform read operations to extract sensitive data including personal information, financial records, and confidential business data. Additionally, attackers can modify existing records, insert new malicious entries, or delete critical database components, potentially leading to data corruption, loss of integrity, and complete system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the network infrastructure.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications, and represents a classic example of insecure data handling practices. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1190 for exploitation of remote services. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation controls, parameterized queries, and database access restrictions. The recommended approach involves deploying web application firewalls, implementing proper input sanitization, and applying the vendor-provided security patches referenced in IBM's advisory 1976805. Regular security assessments and database monitoring should also be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain ongoing protection against similar vulnerabilities.