CVE-2018-10735 in Nagios XI
Summary
by MITRE
A SQL injection issue was discovered in Nagios XI before 5.4.13 via the admin/commandline.php cname parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10735 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Nagios XI monitoring platform version 5.4.12 and earlier. This security weakness resides in the admin/commandline.php script where the cname parameter is improperly handled, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database layer. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. This particular exposure affects the administrative interface of Nagios XI, which is designed for system administrators to manage monitoring configurations and execute command-line operations. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive monitoring data, system configurations, and administrative privileges within the monitoring infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows the classic SQL injection attack pattern where an attacker crafts malicious input containing SQL syntax within the cname parameter. When the vulnerable application processes this input without proper sanitization, the injected SQL commands execute within the database context, potentially allowing unauthorized data retrieval, modification, or deletion. The CWE-89 classification applies directly to this issue as it represents a direct SQL injection vulnerability where user-controllable input flows into an SQL query without adequate protection. This weakness can be leveraged to extract sensitive information from the database, including administrative credentials, monitoring configurations, and system logs that would otherwise remain protected. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it targets the administrative interface, which typically operates with elevated privileges and has access to critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond immediate data compromise, as it can lead to complete system takeover and disruption of critical monitoring services. Organizations relying on Nagios XI for infrastructure monitoring face potential exposure of their entire monitoring ecosystem, including network device configurations, service status information, and alerting mechanisms. Attackers could potentially manipulate monitoring data to hide malicious activities, disrupt service alerts, or gain unauthorized access to underlying network infrastructure. The vulnerability also poses risks to business continuity as monitoring systems are often critical for operational visibility and incident response capabilities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1005 for data from local system, as it enables unauthorized access to system data through compromised administrative interfaces. The exploitation can also facilitate lateral movement within network environments where monitoring systems are integrated with other security tools and infrastructure components.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the official patch released by Nagios for version 5.4.13 and later, which addresses the input validation issues in the commandline.php script. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced around monitoring systems to limit administrative access to trusted personnel only. Regular input validation and sanitization practices should be enforced across all web applications, particularly those handling user input in database operations. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual database query patterns that may indicate SQL injection attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing of monitoring infrastructure, as these systems often serve as primary targets for sophisticated attackers seeking persistent access to enterprise environments. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions can provide additional layers of protection against similar injection attacks.