CVE-2017-12910 in NexusPHP
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in massmail.php in NexusPHP 1.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the or parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12910 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the NexusPHP 1.5 massmail.php component that exposes remote attackers to arbitrary command execution capabilities. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user-supplied input through the 'or' parameter, which fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before incorporating it into database queries. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and proper parameterization that enables malicious actors to manipulate the underlying database operations through carefully crafted payloads. The vulnerability affects the massmail functionality, which likely serves to send notifications or communications to multiple users within the system, making it a particularly attractive target for attackers seeking to compromise the entire user base or extract sensitive information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where insufficient input validation allows attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input. This weakness operates at the application layer where user-controllable parameters are directly concatenated into SQL statements without proper sanitization or parameterized query mechanisms. The 'or' parameter in massmail.php represents an entry point where attacker-controlled data flows directly into database operations, bypassing any built-in security measures. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and parameterized queries to prevent such attacks. Attackers can exploit this by injecting malicious SQL fragments that can alter the intended query behavior, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12910 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive user information. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary SQL commands that may allow them to extract user credentials, personal information, or system configuration details from the database. The massmail functionality suggests that the compromised system likely manages user communications, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as attackers could potentially access user email addresses, personal profiles, or other sensitive data stored in the database. This type of vulnerability can also enable attackers to escalate privileges, modify user accounts, or even gain access to administrative functions within the system. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system, making it an attractive target for widespread exploitation campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements to prevent similar issues in the future. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries for all database interactions, specifically ensuring that the 'or' parameter in massmail.php is properly sanitized before being used in any database operations. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which focuses on application layer protocol manipulation and emphasizes the need for secure coding practices. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization routines, utilize prepared statements or parameterized queries, and establish comprehensive input validation mechanisms to prevent malicious data from being processed. Additionally, regular security code reviews, automated vulnerability scanning, and implementation of web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection. The fix should also include proper error handling to prevent information disclosure and ensure that database errors do not reveal sensitive system information to potential attackers. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be established to address similar vulnerabilities in third-party components and maintain overall system security posture.