CVE-2023-4742 in IBOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/04/2023
A vulnerability was found in IBOS OA 4.5.5 and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file ?r=dashboard/user/export&uid=X. The manipulation leads to sql injection. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-238631. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-4742 represents a critical sql injection flaw within IBOS OA version 4.5.5, a widely used enterprise office automation platform. This vulnerability resides in the specific endpoint ?r=dashboard/user/export&uid=X which processes user export requests, making it a prime target for malicious actors seeking to compromise the system. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the uid parameter to inject malicious sql commands, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources. The vulnerability's classification as critical stems from its remote exploitability and the fact that a public exploit has been disclosed, significantly increasing the risk to affected organizations.
The technical implementation of this sql injection vulnerability occurs through improper input validation and sanitization of the uid parameter in the dashboard/user/export endpoint. When the application processes this parameter without adequate protection mechanisms, attackers can construct malicious sql payloads that bypass normal security controls. The vulnerability manifests as a direct sql injection vector where user-supplied input directly influences sql query construction, allowing for data extraction, modification, or deletion operations. This type of vulnerability typically maps to CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection flaws in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges, access administrative functions, or establish persistent backdoors within the organization's network infrastructure. Given that IBOS OA systems often handle sensitive business data including employee information, financial records, and proprietary documents, successful exploitation could result in significant financial loss, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the organization's network perimeter, making traditional network-based defenses insufficient for protection.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies including input validation, parameterized queries, and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. The recommended approach involves patching the affected IBOS OA version to the latest available release that addresses this specific vulnerability, while also implementing network segmentation to limit access to critical systems. Security teams should conduct thorough network monitoring for exploitation attempts and implement proper access controls to limit the potential impact of any successful breach. Additionally, organizations should perform comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential sql injection vulnerabilities within their IT infrastructure, as this flaw demonstrates the importance of proper input validation across all application components. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure highlights the critical need for organizations to maintain independent security assessment capabilities and not rely solely on vendor-provided patches for critical vulnerabilities.