CVE-2018-25204 in Library CMS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/26/2026
Library CMS 1.0 contains an SQL injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass authentication by injecting SQL code through the username parameter. Attackers can send POST requests to the admin login endpoint with boolean-based blind SQL injection payloads in the username field to manipulate database queries and gain unauthorized access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2026
The CVE-2018-25204 vulnerability resides within Library CMS version 1.0 and represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that fundamentally undermines the system's security posture. This vulnerability operates through a classic sql injection vector that targets the username parameter in the admin login endpoint, allowing attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries without requiring valid credentials. The flaw specifically enables unauthenticated attackers to exploit the application's input handling mechanisms and execute malicious sql commands that can alter the authentication logic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a boolean-based blind sql injection methodology where attackers craft malicious payloads that cause the database to return different responses based on the truth value of injected conditions. When the application processes the username parameter without proper sanitization or parameterization, the sql query structure becomes susceptible to manipulation. The attacker can construct payloads that force the database to evaluate boolean expressions and infer information about the database schema or content through the application's response timing or content variations. This blind approach requires multiple requests and careful analysis but provides sufficient information to bypass authentication entirely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the library management system. Once authenticated, malicious actors can manipulate all aspects of the library database including adding or removing books, modifying user accounts, altering system configurations, and potentially accessing sensitive information about library patrons. The vulnerability's accessibility through unauthenticated POST requests means that any attacker with network access to the application can exploit this flaw without requiring prior credentials or insider knowledge. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where the application is publicly accessible or deployed in cloud environments without proper network segmentation.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a direct violation of several security principles including input validation, proper sql query construction, and authentication security controls. The flaw aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities and demonstrates the critical importance of implementing parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent malicious sql code execution. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the credential access and privilege escalation categories in the mitre att&ck framework, specifically targeting the initial access phase where attackers establish a foothold through authentication bypass techniques. Organizations should immediately implement input validation at the application level, deploy web application firewalls to detect and block sql injection attempts, and ensure all database interactions use parameterized queries to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. Regular security assessments and code reviews should focus on input handling mechanisms to identify and remediate similar flaws that could compromise other authentication systems within the organization's infrastructure.