CVE-2018-14956 in CMS ISWEB
Summary
by MITRE
CMS ISWEB 3.5.3 is vulnerable to multiple SQL injection flaws. An attacker can inject malicious queries into the application and obtain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14956 affects CMS ISWEB version 3.5.3 and represents a critical SQL injection flaw that exposes the application to unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or validation. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate database queries through input fields, potentially allowing them to extract confidential information from the underlying database system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the CMS ISWEB application. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious SQL payloads that bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly interact with the database backend. The vulnerability exists across multiple application components where user-supplied data is concatenated into SQL queries without proper parameterization or escaping. This allows threat actors to execute arbitrary database commands, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal information, financial data, or other sensitive resources stored within the database.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-14956 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass potential system compromise and business disruption. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can escalate privileges, modify database contents, or even gain remote code execution capabilities depending on the database configuration and underlying system permissions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that CMS ISWEB is typically used for content management and web application hosting, making it a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to compromise web infrastructure. Organizations running this version of the CMS face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage if the vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14956 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from the vendor, as this vulnerability affects a specific version of the CMS ISWEB software. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures, including parameterized queries and stored procedures to prevent SQL injection attacks. Network segmentation and database access controls should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK framework technique T1071.005 which addresses application layer protocol manipulation, and T1046 which covers network service scanning that attackers often employ to identify vulnerable systems. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.