CVE-2017-17873 in Marketplace Digital Products PHP
Summary
by MITRE
Vanguard Marketplace Digital Products PHP 1.4 has SQL Injection via the PATH_INFO to the /p URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17873 affects the Vanguard Marketplace Digital Products PHP 1.4 application, specifically exposing a critical SQL injection flaw through the PATH_INFO parameter when accessing the /p URI endpoint. This issue represents a classic server-side SQL injection vulnerability that allows malicious actors to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through the application's input handling mechanism. The vulnerability exists within the application's URL routing system where the PATH_INFO variable is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into database queries, creating an exploitable vector for unauthorized database access and potential data exfiltration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization practices within the application's backend processing logic. When a user accesses the /p URI with specific PATH_INFO parameters, the application fails to adequately escape or filter user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to construct malicious SQL statements that can bypass authentication mechanisms, retrieve sensitive data, modify database contents, or even execute destructive operations on the underlying database system. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's digital product marketplace functionality, where database queries are used to retrieve product information, user accounts, and other sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the entire database backend of the marketplace application. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to extract all user credentials, product information, transaction records, and other sensitive data stored within the database. The vulnerability also enables privilege escalation attacks where malicious actors might be able to elevate their access level to administrative privileges, leading to complete system compromise. Additionally, the attack surface extends beyond simple data theft to include potential denial-of-service conditions and system-wide corruption, as the SQL injection could be leveraged to execute destructive database operations.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications, and maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol evasion and T1046 for network service scanning. The attack vector demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate fundamental security principles outlined in OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the prevention of injection flaws. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding to mitigate such vulnerabilities. The recommended remediation includes implementing proper input sanitization, using prepared statements with parameterized queries, and conducting regular security code reviews to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase.