CVE-2018-20716 in CubeCart
Summary
by MITRE
CubeCart before 6.1.13 has SQL Injection via the validate[] parameter of the "I forgot my Password!" feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-20716 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the CubeCart e-commerce platform affecting versions prior to 6.1.13. This vulnerability specifically targets the password recovery functionality, exploiting a weakness in how the system processes user input through the validate[] parameter. The attack vector leverages the "I forgot my Password!" feature which is a standard recovery mechanism designed to allow users to reset their credentials when they lose access to their accounts. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the underlying sql operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter sanitization within the password reset workflow. When users initiate the password recovery process, the system accepts the validate[] parameter which should contain verification tokens or user identifiers. However, the application does not adequately filter or escape this input before executing sql queries against the backend database. This allows an attacker to inject malicious sql code that can be executed with the privileges of the web application's database user. The vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection flaws, and aligns with attack techniques documented in the mitre ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, extract sensitive customer information including personal details and purchase histories, and potentially escalate privileges to execute arbitrary commands on the database server. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it targets a legitimate recovery mechanism that users would naturally interact with, making the exploitation more likely to go unnoticed. The vulnerability could also facilitate further attacks within the network by providing access to database credentials and potentially allowing attackers to pivot to other systems that share the same database infrastructure. Organizations using affected versions of CubeCart face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-20716 require immediate patching of the CubeCart application to version 6.1.13 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for input validation and parameter sanitization. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block sql injection patterns, regular security assessments of the application's input handling mechanisms, and comprehensive database access logging to monitor for suspicious activities. The implementation of proper parameterized queries and input validation should be enforced throughout the application codebase to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing to verify that the patch has properly resolved the vulnerability and that no other sql injection vectors remain within the system. Additionally, organizations should establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle sql injection attacks and ensure that all staff members are trained to recognize and respond to potential exploitation attempts.