CVE-2017-11161 in Photo Station
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Synology Photo Station before 6.7.4-3433 and 6.3-2968 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) article_id parameter to label.php; or (2) type parameter to synotheme.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11161 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Synology Photo Station software versions prior to 6.7.4-3433 and 6.3-2968. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within two distinct endpoints of the web application. The flaw manifests when user-supplied data is directly incorporated into SQL query construction without proper escaping or parameterization mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate database operations through crafted input parameters.
The technical exploitation occurs through two primary attack vectors targeting different PHP scripts within the Photo Station application. The first vector involves the article_id parameter in the label.php endpoint, while the second targets the type parameter in the synotheme.php endpoint. Both vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, specifically representing unauthenticated remote code execution capabilities that bypass traditional access controls. Attackers can leverage these entry points to construct malicious SQL statements that execute with the privileges of the database user account under which the Photo Station application operates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system. This remote code execution potential allows adversaries to escalate privileges, access sensitive user data, modify database content, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations using Synology NAS devices with Photo Station installed, creating a significant risk for businesses relying on these systems for media storage and sharing. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation means that any remote attacker with access to the network can leverage these flaws without requiring valid credentials.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment to upgrade to affected versions 6.7.4-3433 or 6.3-2968 where the SQL injection vulnerabilities have been addressed. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable Photo Station services and consider disabling unnecessary web interfaces. Additionally, input validation controls should be enhanced through proper parameterized queries and prepared statements, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1190 for exploit for client execution. Database access should be restricted to minimum required privileges, and regular security audits should verify proper implementation of input sanitization mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments.