CVE-2020-9340 in eLection
Summary
by MITRE
fauzantrif eLection 2.0 has SQL Injection via the admin/ajax/op_kandidat.php id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9340 affects the fauzantrif eLection 2.0 web application, specifically targeting the administrative interface through a flawed parameter handling mechanism. This issue resides within the admin/ajax/op_kandidat.php endpoint where the id parameter is improperly validated and sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. The vulnerability represents a classic SQL injection flaw that allows attackers to manipulate the underlying database through malicious input, potentially compromising the entire electoral system's data integrity and confidentiality.
This SQL injection vulnerability operates through the direct concatenation of user-supplied input into SQL query strings without proper parameterization or input sanitization. The id parameter in the op_kandidat.php file serves as the attack vector where an attacker can inject malicious SQL payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application vulnerabilities. The attack follows the typical pattern where an attacker crafts malicious input that alters the intended SQL query execution flow, potentially enabling data retrieval, modification, or deletion operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it directly threatens the integrity of electoral processes managed by the eLection system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to manipulate candidate information, alter vote counts, or access sensitive administrative data that should remain confidential. The implications are particularly severe in electoral contexts where data manipulation could compromise the democratic process and undermine public trust in the system. The vulnerability also enables potential privilege escalation attacks where an attacker might gain administrative access to the entire system, as the injection could bypass authentication checks and provide access to sensitive administrative functions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application, where the attacker leverages a weakness in the web application to gain unauthorized access, and T1071.005: Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as the exploitation occurs through standard web application interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-9340 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure that user input cannot alter the structure of SQL commands. Input validation and sanitization should be enforced at multiple layers, including client-side and server-side validation, with strict type checking for the id parameter. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms within the administrative interface would limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and prevent SQL injection attempts, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review to identify and fix similar patterns throughout the application, as SQL injection vulnerabilities often occur in multiple locations within web applications, making them a systemic security concern that requires thorough addressing across the entire codebase.