CVE-2023-25651 in Mobile Internet Products
Summary
by MITRE • 12/14/2023
There is a SQL injection vulnerability in some ZTE mobile internet products. Due to insufficient input validation of SMS interface parameter, an authenticated attacker could use the vulnerability to execute SQL injection and cause information leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-25651 represents a critical security flaw affecting certain ZTE mobile internet products that operate within the telecommunications infrastructure domain. This issue manifests through a SQL injection vulnerability within the SMS interface component of these devices, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can leverage this weakness to compromise system integrity and data confidentiality.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the SMS interface parameter handling functionality. When legitimate users submit SMS-related data through the interface, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters before incorporating them into database queries. This insufficient validation creates an environment where crafted malicious input can be interpreted by the database engine as executable SQL commands rather than simple data. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated attackers who possess valid credentials to access the SMS interface, as the attack requires legitimate system access to exploit the flaw effectively.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to telecommunications infrastructure security. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploits this SQL injection flaw can potentially extract sensitive information from the underlying database systems, including user credentials, personal data, communication records, and other confidential information stored within the mobile internet products. The information leakage aspect of this vulnerability directly impacts data privacy and can lead to unauthorized access to user communications, potentially enabling further attacks such as identity theft, surveillance, or targeted attacks against individuals or organizations connected to the affected network.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. This classification indicates that the attack vector operates through the application layer where the system processes user inputs and translates them into database operations. The authenticated nature of the attack means that attackers must first obtain legitimate credentials or exploit other vulnerabilities to gain initial access, but once inside the system, they can leverage this SQL injection flaw to escalate their privileges and extract valuable data.
Effective mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing comprehensive input validation and parameterized queries throughout the SMS interface functionality. Organizations should immediately apply security patches provided by ZTE to address the identified flaw, while also implementing proper database access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures should include network segmentation to limit access to the affected systems, regular security audits of database interactions, and enhanced logging to track suspicious activities within the SMS interface components. The implementation of web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in the future.