CVE-2020-36768 in NESP2
Summary
by MITRE • 12/03/2023
A vulnerability was found in rl-institut NESP2 Initial Release/1.0. It has been classified as critical. Affected is an unknown function of the file app/database.py. The manipulation leads to sql injection. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The patch is identified as 07c0cdf36cf6a4345086d07b54423723a496af5e. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. VDB-246642 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-36768 represents a critical sql injection flaw in the rl-institut NESP2 version 1.0 software suite, specifically within the app/database.py file. This critical classification indicates the severity of potential impact on system security and data integrity. The vulnerability exists in an unknown function of the database interaction module, which suggests that the application's database communication layer has been improperly designed to handle user input without adequate sanitization or parameterization. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate database queries through carefully crafted input, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive data and system compromise.
The exploitation of this vulnerability occurs remotely, meaning that attackers do not require physical access to the system to execute malicious code. This remote attack vector significantly increases the threat surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments. The public disclosure of the exploit means that threat actors can readily leverage this weakness without requiring advanced technical skills or specialized knowledge. The fact that the patch has been identified and documented provides security professionals with a clear remediation path, though the public availability of the exploit creates an urgent need for immediate deployment of the fix. The patch reference 07c0cdf36cf6a4345086d07b54423723a496af5e specifically addresses the vulnerable function within the database.py file, suggesting that the fix involves proper input validation and parameterized query implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as sql injection attacks can enable attackers to execute arbitrary database commands, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, modify or delete sensitive information, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected system. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses sql injection flaws in software applications, and represents a common attack pattern that appears frequently in the mitre ATT&CK framework under the technique of credential access and execution. Organizations using rl-institut NESP2 version 1.0 should immediately implement the provided patch and conduct thorough security assessments to ensure no other similar vulnerabilities exist in their systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices, particularly in database interaction components, and underscores the necessity of regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate such flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.