CVE-2018-5749 in Minecraft Servers List
Summary
by MITRE
install.php in Minecraft Servers List Lite before commit c1cd164 and Premium Minecraft Servers List before 2.0.4 does not sanitize input before saving database connection information in connect.php, which might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via the (1) database_server, (2) database_user, (3) database_password, or (4) database_name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5749 represents a critical security flaw in Minecraft Servers List Lite and Premium Minecraft Servers List web applications. This issue stems from inadequate input sanitization during the database configuration setup process, specifically within the install.php script that handles database connection parameters. The vulnerability affects versions prior to commit c1cd164 for Minecraft Servers List Lite and versions before 2.0.4 for Premium Minecraft Servers List, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple iterations of these server listing platforms.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of user-supplied input when saving database connection information to connect.php. When administrators or users provide database server details through the installation interface, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters including database_server, database_user, database_password, and database_name. This lack of input validation creates a path for malicious actors to inject arbitrary PHP code directly into the database configuration files. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to execute code on the target system with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Minecraft server administrators who may unknowingly expose their systems to remote code execution attacks. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious input values that contain PHP code, which then gets saved to the configuration files and executed when the application attempts to connect to the database. This creates a persistent backdoor that can be used for data exfiltration, system compromise, or further network infiltration. The impact extends beyond individual server compromise as these server lists often serve as community resources that may host multiple servers, amplifying the potential damage.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for PHP code injection. This classification indicates that the flaw represents a classic command injection vulnerability where attacker-controlled input is executed as code within the application context. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that database connection information is typically stored in configuration files that are processed by the web application during normal operation, making the execution of malicious code automatic and persistent. Organizations should immediately implement patches addressing the input sanitization issues in the affected software versions, while also conducting thorough security audits of their server configurations to identify any potential exploitation attempts.
Security mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected software versions, implementation of proper input validation and sanitization measures, and regular security monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential attack vectors, while maintaining detailed logs of configuration modifications to detect suspicious activities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in web applications and the potential catastrophic consequences of inadequate sanitization practices in database configuration interfaces.