CVE-2017-16893 in Piwigo
Summary
by MITRE
The application Piwigo is affected by an SQL injection vulnerability in version 2.9.2 and possibly prior. This vulnerability allows remote authenticated attackers to obtain information in the context of the user used by the application to retrieve data from the database. tags.php is affected: values of the edit_list parameters are not sanitized; these are used to construct an SQL query and retrieve a list of registered users into the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2017-16893 represents a critical SQL injection flaw in the Piwigo photo gallery application affecting version 2.9.2 and potentially earlier releases. This vulnerability resides within the tags.php script where user-supplied input from the edit_list parameter is inadequately sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. The flaw occurs when authenticated users interact with the application's tagging functionality, specifically when managing user lists through the edit_list parameter. The absence of proper input validation and sanitization creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database query execution context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper parameter handling within the application's database interaction layer. When the edit_list parameter values are directly concatenated into SQL queries without appropriate escaping or parameterization, attackers can manipulate the intended query structure. This allows for unauthorized data retrieval, modification, or even deletion operations depending on the database user's privileges. The vulnerability specifically impacts the database user account that Piwigo employs for data retrieval operations, potentially exposing sensitive user information including usernames, email addresses, and other stored data within the application's database schema.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and access unauthorized data within the application's database. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to enumerate registered users, potentially identifying valid accounts for further attacks, or extract sensitive configuration data that could aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the application is accessible over the internet. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection flaws as a fundamental weakness in application security, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16893 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Piwigo versions, with administrators upgrading to versions that implement proper input sanitization and parameterized queries. The remediation process requires implementing proper input validation routines that sanitize all user-supplied data before database interaction, utilizing prepared statements or parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks, and ensuring that database user accounts have minimal necessary privileges. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the attack surface, while regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns, and establish monitoring procedures to identify unauthorized database access attempts that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.