CVE-2017-17902 in Kliqqi
Summary
by MITRE
SQL Injection exists in Kliqqi CMS 3.5.2 via the randkey parameter of a new story at the pligg/story.php?title= URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17902 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Kliqqi CMS version 3.5.2 that specifically targets the randkey parameter handling during story creation processes. This vulnerability resides within the pligg/story.php endpoint where user input is improperly sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. The attack vector occurs when an attacker submits a malicious randkey value through the title parameter in the URI, allowing arbitrary SQL commands to be executed within the context of the database connection. This flaw directly violates security principles by failing to implement proper input validation and parameterized query construction, creating an environment where malicious actors can manipulate database operations through crafted input sequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the CMS's inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data within the story creation workflow. When a user attempts to create a new story through the pligg/story.php?title= URI, the randkey parameter is directly concatenated into SQL query strings without proper escaping or parameterization mechanisms. This design flaw places the entire database infrastructure at risk as attackers can inject malicious SQL code that executes with the privileges of the database user account. The vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input sanitization that enables attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially escalate privileges within the application environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-17902 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with a pathway to achieve persistent system compromise. Successful exploitation could result in complete database takeover, allowing threat actors to exfiltrate user credentials, personal information, and content management data. The vulnerability's accessibility through the public-facing story creation interface means that any authenticated user or even unauthenticated attacker could potentially exploit this flaw, depending on the CMS's access controls. This weakness creates a significant risk for content management systems that rely on database integrity for security operations and could enable attackers to manipulate the CMS's core functionality, modify user permissions, or establish backdoor access points. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting web application security flaws that allow for database command injection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17902 require immediate implementation of input validation and parameterized query usage throughout the Kliqqi CMS codebase. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization routines that filter or escape special characters before database insertion, while also migrating all database queries to use parameterized statements or prepared queries to prevent injection attacks. The CMS administrators should apply the vendor-provided security patches or upgrade to a patched version of Kliqqi CMS that addresses this vulnerability. Additionally, network-based security controls such as web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns in URI parameters. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the CMS. The implementation of least privilege database access controls and regular database monitoring can help detect unauthorized query execution attempts. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures that include database integrity checks and user access audits to ensure that any exploitation attempts are promptly identified and contained, preventing further damage to the system infrastructure and maintaining the integrity of the content management platform.