CVE-2017-17599 in Advance Online Learning Management Script
Summary
by MITRE
Advance Online Learning Management Script 3.1 has SQL Injection via the courselist.php subcatid or popcourseid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17599 affects the Advance Online Learning Management Script version 3.1, representing a critical security flaw that exposes the system to unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. This issue resides within the courselist.php script which handles course listings and related functionality. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation and sanitization of user-supplied parameters, specifically targeting the subcatid and popcourseid parameters that are used to filter and display course content. Attackers can exploit this weakness to inject malicious SQL commands that bypass authentication mechanisms and manipulate database queries.
The technical implementation of this SQL injection vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or parameterize user input before incorporating it into database queries. When the courselist.php script processes the subcatid or popcourseid parameters, it directly incorporates these values into SQL statements without adequate sanitization measures. This design flaw allows malicious actors to craft specially crafted input that alters the intended query execution path, potentially enabling them to extract sensitive information, modify database records, or even execute administrative commands. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection as a fundamental weakness in software design that permits unauthorized database access through malicious input manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it creates a pathway for attackers to gain deeper system access and potentially establish persistent footholds within the organization's infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could access student records, course materials, instructor information, and potentially administrative credentials stored within the database. The implications are particularly severe for educational institutions that rely on such learning management systems, as the compromised data could include personal information, academic records, and proprietary course content. The vulnerability also increases the risk of further lateral movement within the network if the database server shares resources with other critical systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17599 should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent malicious SQL code execution. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patches or updates that address this vulnerability, as the software vendor has likely released a fixed version that properly sanitizes user input. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input filtering mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection against similar attacks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual database query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code review to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, as this flaw demonstrates a broader architectural weakness in input handling that may affect other components. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies as recommended by industry standards including the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.