CVE-2019-17319 in SugarCRM
Summary
by MITRE
SugarCRM before 8.0.4 and 9.x before 9.0.2 allows SQL injection in the Emails module by a Regular user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-17319 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the SugarCRM customer relationship management platform that affects versions prior to 8.0.4 and 9.0.2. This security weakness resides within the Emails module and is particularly concerning because it can be exploited by regular users who do not possess administrative privileges, significantly expanding the potential attack surface. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the email handling functionality, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database layer through carefully crafted email parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes email-related data without proper parameterization or input filtering, enabling an attacker to manipulate database queries through user-controlled input fields. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without adequate protection mechanisms. The attack vector leverages the fact that regular users can submit email content or metadata that gets processed by the backend database without sufficient sanitization, creating opportunities for data extraction, modification, or deletion of sensitive information.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected SugarCRM versions as it allows unauthorized data access and manipulation. Regular users who exploit this vulnerability can potentially extract confidential customer information, modify existing records, or even delete critical business data from the database. The attack impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the system, potentially leading to compliance violations under regulations such as gdpr and hipaa, depending on the nature of the data handled. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege as it enables non-administrative users to perform actions typically restricted to privileged accounts.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical expertise and can be accomplished through standard SQL injection techniques, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user access controls are not properly enforced. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches to upgrade to versions 8.0.4 or 9.0.2, which contain the necessary input validation and sanitization fixes. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious SQL patterns, conducting regular security assessments of the application, and establishing monitoring procedures to identify unusual database access patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol traffic, specifically targeting web application vulnerabilities that enable data manipulation through database injection attacks.