CVE-2019-13079 in KACE Systems Management Appliance Server Center
Summary
by MITRE
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance Server Center 9.1.317 is vulnerable to SQL injection. An authenticated user has the ability to execute arbitrary commands against the database. The affected component is /adminui/history_log.php. The affected parameter is TYPE_NAME.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2024
The Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance Server Center version 9.1.317 contains a critical SQL injection vulnerability that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands against the underlying database system. This vulnerability resides within the administrative user interface component at the path /adminui/history_log.php and specifically affects the TYPE_NAME parameter. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that directly compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the managed systems and their associated data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries, creating an avenue for malicious exploitation by authenticated users who possess legitimate access credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic SQL injection attack vector where the TYPE_NAME parameter is directly used in database query construction without proper sanitization or parameterization. When an authenticated user submits malicious input through this parameter, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL commands that are then executed by the database engine. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanism to escalate privileges from normal user access to database command execution capabilities. The impact extends beyond simple data extraction to include potential data manipulation, deletion, or unauthorized access to sensitive system information. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws and represents a fundamental weakness in input handling and database interaction patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with direct database access capabilities that can compromise the entire systems management infrastructure. An authenticated attacker could potentially extract sensitive configuration data, modify system settings, access user credentials, or even escalate their privileges to administrative levels within the KACE appliance. The vulnerability affects the core administrative functionality of the system management appliance, potentially disrupting service availability and compromising the integrity of managed endpoints. Organizations relying on Quest KACE for system management and monitoring face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where privileged credentials are compromised or where insider threats exist. The attack surface is limited to authenticated users, but this reduces the barrier to exploitation significantly since legitimate access credentials are required rather than bypassing authentication entirely.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released for this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit administrative access to only necessary personnel. Input validation should be strengthened at the application level with proper parameterization of database queries and implementation of prepared statements. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the systems management infrastructure. Monitoring and logging of administrative activities should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as those defined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to prevent similar issues in future development cycles.