CVE-2018-5697 in Phoenix
Summary
by MITRE
Icy Phoenix 2.2.0.105 allows SQL injection via an unapprove request to admin_kb_art.php or the order parameter to admin_jr_admin.php, related to functions_kb.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5697 affects Icy Phoenix version 2.2.0.105, a content management system built on phpBB technology. This security flaw represents a critical SQL injection vulnerability that could enable unauthorized access to the underlying database system. The vulnerability manifests through two distinct attack vectors within the administrative interface of the application, specifically targeting the admin_kb_art.php and admin_jr_admin.php scripts. These administrative components are part of the knowledge base and junior administration modules respectively, making them prime targets for attackers seeking to escalate privileges or extract sensitive data from the system.
The technical exploitation occurs through improper input validation in the handling of user-supplied parameters. In the case of admin_kb_art.php, the unapprove request parameter fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into database queries. Similarly, the order parameter in admin_jr_admin.php lacks adequate input filtering mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands. The vulnerability is directly related to functions_kb.php, which contains the core functions that process these parameters, indicating a systemic issue in the application's data handling architecture. This weakness falls under the category of CWE-89 SQL Injection, specifically manifesting as an unauthenticated SQL injection attack that can be executed through the administrative interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary database commands, potentially leading to complete database compromise, data exfiltration, and unauthorized modification of critical system information. Attackers might gain access to user credentials, personal information, and administrative privileges, enabling them to take full control of the application. The vulnerability affects the entire knowledge base functionality and junior administrative features, which could result in disruption of service availability and potential data corruption. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it targets publicly accessible administrative interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5697 should focus on immediate patching of the affected Icy Phoenix version, as the vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase to prevent similar issues. The implementation of web application firewalls and input sanitization measures can provide additional layers of protection. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Access controls should be strengthened to limit administrative access to trusted users only, and monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to track and alert on suspicious SQL query patterns that could indicate SQL injection attacks.