CVE-2017-20142 in Movie Portal Script
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2022
A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Itech Movie Portal Script 7.36. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /artist-display.php. The manipulation of the argument act leads to sql injection (Union). The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20142 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the Itech Movie Portal Script version 7.36, specifically affecting the /artist-display.php component. This weakness arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it allows attackers to manipulate the act parameter through union-based sql injection techniques, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive database information. The attack vector is remote, meaning that malicious actors can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to the target system, making it highly dangerous in production environments where such portals are publicly accessible.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or filter user input before incorporating it into sql queries. When the act parameter is processed in the /artist-display.php file, the script likely constructs sql statements using string concatenation without appropriate sanitization measures. This creates an environment where an attacker can inject malicious sql code through the act parameter, potentially leveraging union-based techniques to extract data from underlying database tables. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection flaws, and represents a classic example of improper input handling in web applications. The use of union-based sql injection indicates that attackers can combine their malicious queries with legitimate database queries, allowing for more sophisticated data extraction operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable complete database compromise and potentially lead to full system takeover. Attackers exploiting this flaw could access sensitive user information, including personal details, authentication credentials, and potentially administrative access credentials. The public disclosure of the exploit increases the risk profile significantly, as it provides adversaries with ready-made attack methodologies. This vulnerability can be leveraged to perform data manipulation, data deletion, and privilege escalation attacks, depending on the database permissions and structure. Organizations running this version of the movie portal script are particularly at risk since the vulnerability affects core functionality and can be exploited by anyone with access to the web application interface.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected application to the latest version that addresses this sql injection vulnerability. System administrators must implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious input from being processed as sql commands. The implementation of prepared statements and parameterized queries should be enforced throughout the application codebase to eliminate sql injection possibilities. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor and block suspicious sql injection attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and database privilege management to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts, following principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework for defensive measures against sql injection attacks.