CVE-2018-18790 in zzcms
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in zzcms 8.3. SQL Injection exists in admin/special_add.php via a zxbigclassid cookie. (This needs an admin user login.)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2018-18790 represents a critical SQL injection flaw in zzcms version 8.3 that specifically targets the administrative interface through the special_add.php script. This vulnerability requires an authenticated administrative user to exploit, making it a privilege escalation concern rather than a direct public attack vector. The flaw manifests through the zxbigclassid cookie parameter, which is improperly sanitized before being incorporated into database queries within the administrative section of the application.
This vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which categorizes SQL injection as a common weakness in web applications where user-controllable data is directly included in SQL commands without proper validation or escaping. The attack vector specifically exploits the administrative cookie handling mechanism, where the zxbigclassid parameter is not properly validated or escaped before being used in database operations. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insecure input handling within privileged administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. An attacker with administrative credentials could potentially extract sensitive data, modify database records, create new administrative accounts, or even escalate privileges further within the system. The vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor for malicious activities within the administrative context, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials and T1046 which covers network service scanning, as the attacker could use this to gain deeper access to the database infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first obtain administrative credentials, which makes it less likely to be discovered by automated scanners. However, once credentials are compromised, the impact is severe as it allows for database manipulation and potential data exfiltration. The vulnerability exists in the administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it provides access to sensitive system functions and data management capabilities. The zxbigclassid cookie parameter represents a critical point of failure in the application's input validation mechanism, where user-provided data is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application. The zxbigclassid cookie parameter should be validated against a whitelist of acceptable values or properly escaped before database insertion. The application should also implement proper authentication controls and session management to prevent unauthorized access to administrative functions. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input handling issues in other parts of the application. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and the principle of least privilege in administrative interfaces.