CVE-2018-10997 in EtereWeb
Summary
by MITRE
Etere EtereWeb before 28.1.20 has a pre-authentication blind SQL injection in the POST parameters txUserName and txPassword.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10997 affects Etere EtereWeb versions prior to 28.1.20 and represents a critical pre-authentication blind SQL injection flaw that impacts the authentication mechanism of the application. This vulnerability resides within the POST parameters txUserName and txPassword which are processed without adequate input validation or sanitization, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious SQL code. The vulnerability is classified as blind SQL injection because the attacker cannot directly observe the database results through the application's response, instead relying on indirect methods such as timing delays or boolean-based responses to extract information from the underlying database system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the username and password fields during the authentication process. When these parameters are submitted via POST requests, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This lack of proper input sanitization creates an attack surface where malicious actors can craft SQL payloads that manipulate the database query execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates before authentication, meaning that attackers can exploit it without requiring valid credentials, and the blind nature of the injection makes it challenging to detect and prevent through traditional security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can enable attackers to extract sensitive data from the database, modify user accounts, or potentially gain deeper system access. The pre-authentication nature of the vulnerability means that any user attempting to log in can be exploited, making it a widespread threat to the entire user base. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to enumerate database structures, extract user credentials, access confidential information, or even escalate privileges within the application. The blind SQL injection aspect complicates exploitation but does not diminish its severity, as attackers can still achieve significant data compromise through advanced techniques such as out-of-band data exfiltration or time-based blind injection methods.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Organizations should immediately upgrade to EtereWeb version 28.1.20 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls, input sanitization mechanisms, and regular security testing can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a common attack pattern that falls under the ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploit public-facing application. The remediation process should include thorough code reviews, database access controls, and application security testing to ensure that all input parameters are properly validated and sanitized before being processed by the application's backend systems.