CVE-2022-45330 in AeroCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/23/2022
AeroCMS v0.0.1 was discovered to contain a SQL Injection vulnerability via the Category parameter at \category.php. This vulnerability allows attackers to access database information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2025
AeroCMS version 0.0.1 suffers from a critical SQL injection vulnerability that stems from inadequate input validation within the Category parameter processing functionality. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into SQL command strings without proper sanitization or parameterization. The flaw exists in the application's database interaction layer where the Category parameter is concatenated directly into SQL queries rather than being properly escaped or bound as a parameter. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that alters the intended SQL query structure, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary database commands, extract sensitive information, or even gain unauthorized access to the underlying database system. The vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it affects the core data handling mechanisms of the content management system.
The operational impact of this SQL injection vulnerability extends beyond simple data extraction to encompass full database compromise possibilities. An attacker could leverage this flaw to perform unauthorized data manipulation including updating or deleting records, creating new user accounts with administrative privileges, or even accessing sensitive system information through database enumeration techniques. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require advanced technical skills, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited by threat actors with minimal expertise. The affected version 0.0.1 suggests this is likely a development or early release version where security considerations may have been overlooked during the initial development phase. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.005 which covers application layer protocol manipulation and T1213.002 which involves data from information repositories. The attack surface is further expanded as the vulnerability affects the database layer directly, potentially bypassing application-level security controls and authentication mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions, ensuring that user input is never directly concatenated into SQL commands. Input validation and sanitization should be enforced at multiple levels including application firewalls, web application firewalls, and within the application code itself. The development team should implement proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users. Additionally, implementing the principle of least privilege for database accounts used by AeroCMS can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities throughout the application codebase. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting thorough security reviews before releasing software versions to production environments. Organizations using AeroCMS version 0.0.1 should immediately implement patches or upgrade to versions that have addressed this SQL injection vulnerability, as the risk of exploitation remains high given the nature of the flaw and the widespread use of content management systems in web applications.