CVE-2017-17613 in Freelance Website Script
Summary
by MITRE
Freelance Website Script 2.0.6 has SQL Injection via the jobdetails.php pr_id parameter or the searchbycat_list.php catid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17613 affects the Freelance Website Script version 2.0.6, which represents a critical security flaw in web application architecture. This particular issue manifests as a SQL injection vulnerability that can be exploited through two distinct entry points within the application's codebase. The primary attack vectors involve the jobdetails.php page where the pr_id parameter can be manipulated, and the searchbycat_list.php page where the catid parameter presents a similar risk. Such vulnerabilities fall under the category of CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's database interaction layers. When users provide input through the pr_id or catid parameters, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize these values before incorporating them into SQL queries. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL code that can manipulate the database operations. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input sanitization where user-supplied data directly influences database query construction without proper security measures.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the freelance website's data. Attackers could potentially extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and business-related information stored in the database. The exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to administrative functions, data modification, or even complete database compromise. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access points within the application infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 which covers exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, and T1071.004 which involves application layer protocol manipulation.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically requires minimal technical skill and can be automated using various penetration testing tools. Attackers would craft malicious payloads targeting the specific parameters mentioned in the vulnerability description, potentially using standard SQL injection techniques such as union-based or error-based approaches. The low complexity of exploitation combined with the potential for significant data compromise makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments. Organizations running this version of the freelance website script are advised to implement immediate mitigations while planning for proper patching or architectural modifications.
Effective mitigations for this vulnerability should include implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase. The recommended approach involves using prepared statements or parameterized queries for all database interactions, ensuring that user input is never directly concatenated into SQL commands. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization measures and employing web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection. Organizations should also consider implementing proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough code review and security testing to ensure no similar vulnerabilities exist in other parts of the application, following security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten project and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.