CVE-2017-9463 in Piwigo
Summary
by MITRE
The application Piwigo is affected by a SQL injection vulnerability in version 2.9.0 and possibly prior. This vulnerability allows remote authenticated attackers to obtain information in the context of the user used by the application to retrieve data from the database. The user_list_backend.php component is affected: values of the iDisplayStart & iDisplayLength parameters are not sanitized; these are used to construct a SQL query and retrieve a list of registered users into the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9463 affects the Piwigo photo gallery application, specifically targeting version 2.9.0 and potentially earlier releases. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the application's data integrity and confidentiality mechanisms. The vulnerability resides within the user_list_backend.php component, which serves as a backend interface for retrieving user information from the database. The flaw manifests when authenticated attackers exploit improper input validation, enabling them to manipulate database queries through specifically crafted parameters. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which defines SQL injection as a weakness where untrusted input is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper parameter sanitization within the user_list_backend.php script. Attackers can manipulate the iDisplayStart and iDisplayLength parameters, which are directly incorporated into SQL query construction without adequate input validation. These parameters control pagination of user lists and are typically used to determine which portion of user data should be retrieved from the database. When these values are not properly sanitized, malicious input can alter the intended SQL query structure, potentially allowing attackers to extract sensitive information from the database. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that users with legitimate credentials can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to user data that the application normally protects.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the ability to enumerate user accounts and potentially extract sensitive user information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to discover the number of registered users, their usernames, and potentially other database fields that are accessible through the user list functionality. The attack surface is broadened by the fact that this affects the backend user management interface, which typically contains valuable metadata about user accounts, including creation dates, last login times, and potentially user roles or permissions. This information can be used for further attacks including credential stuffing, social engineering, or privilege escalation attempts within the application environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected Piwigo versions, with administrators urgently upgrading to patched releases that properly sanitize input parameters. The remediation approach must implement proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks, aligning with industry best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure coding. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual query patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input sanitization in web applications and highlights the need for regular security assessments of third-party components, as this flaw existed in the application for an extended period before discovery. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The incident underscores the critical nature of maintaining up-to-date software and the importance of vulnerability management programs that can quickly identify and remediate such security flaws across the entire application stack.