CVE-2018-13850 in Cloud Messaging + Advance Admin Panel
Summary
by MITRE
The "Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) + Advance Admin Panel" component supporting Firebase Push Notification on iOS (through 2017-10-26) allows SQL injection via the /advance_push/public/login username parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13850 affects the Firebase Cloud Messaging component that provides advanced admin panel functionality for push notifications on iOS devices through October 2017. This security flaw exists within the authentication mechanism of the advance_push public login endpoint, specifically targeting the username parameter that handles user authentication requests. The affected system operates as a notification delivery infrastructure that enables mobile applications to receive real-time messages through Firebase services, making it a critical component in mobile application communication ecosystems.
The technical implementation flaw represents a classic SQL injection vulnerability where the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into database queries. When an attacker submits malicious input through the username parameter, the system directly incorporates this unvalidated data into SQL execution statements without appropriate input validation or parameterization. This vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection attacks as a direct result of insufficient input validation and improper query construction. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate database queries through crafted input, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive user data, database enumeration, or even complete database compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses and creates significant risk for organizations relying on Firebase services for their mobile applications. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, extract sensitive information from the database, or potentially escalate privileges within the system. The vulnerability particularly affects iOS applications that utilize Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications, making it a critical concern for mobile application developers and enterprises maintaining user engagement through notification systems. This flaw enables adversaries to perform unauthorized database operations and could lead to data breaches, user privacy violations, and potential service disruption for applications relying on the affected notification infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the authentication system. Organizations should immediately update to patched versions of the Firebase Cloud Messaging component and ensure all user inputs are properly sanitized before database operations. The implementation of prepared statements or parameterized queries should be enforced across all database interaction points, particularly in authentication mechanisms. Additionally, regular security assessments and input validation testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which involves data from information repositories, and represents a common attack vector that adversaries leverage to establish persistent access to mobile application backends. Network segmentation and monitoring of authentication attempts should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed audit logs of database access patterns for forensic analysis.