CVE-2023-5031 in RapidCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2023
A vulnerability was found in OpenRapid RapidCMS 1.3.1. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file /admin/article/article-add.php. The manipulation of the argument id leads to sql injection. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-239875.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-5031 represents a critical sql injection flaw in OpenRapid RapidCMS version 1.3.1 that poses significant security risks to affected systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the administrative functionality of the content management system through the /admin/article/article-add.php file, making it particularly dangerous as it directly impacts the administrative interface where sensitive content management operations occur. The flaw arises from improper input validation within the id parameter handling, allowing attackers to manipulate database queries through crafted input values. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is actively being exploited, as indicated by its inclusion in the VDB-239875 database, which tracks known vulnerabilities and exploits in the cybersecurity landscape. This public disclosure significantly increases the risk to systems running the affected version of RapidCMS.
The technical implementation of this sql injection vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into database queries. When an attacker submits malicious input through the id parameter in the article-add.php administrative interface, the application processes this input without adequate validation mechanisms, allowing sql commands to be executed within the database context. This weakness directly maps to CWE-89 which categorizes sql injection vulnerabilities as a critical threat vector in web applications, where improper handling of user-supplied data leads to unauthorized database access. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system, enabling them to launch attacks from any location with network connectivity to the vulnerable web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with complete control over the database backend of the affected RapidCMS installation. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized modification of content, complete database compromise, data exfiltration, and potentially full system compromise if the database server has elevated privileges. The administrative nature of the affected file means that attackers could gain access to sensitive content management features, allowing them to manipulate articles, modify user accounts, and potentially escalate their privileges within the system. This vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire content management ecosystem, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on RapidCMS for their web publishing infrastructure. The critical severity classification indicates that the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring specialized circumstances and that it can cause significant damage to the affected systems.
Organizations running OpenRapid RapidCMS 1.3.1 should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from the vendor, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries in the affected application code, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their web applications. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be deployed to monitor and block suspicious sql injection attempts. The remediation process should include updating to the latest stable version of RapidCMS that addresses this vulnerability, as well as implementing proper access controls and authentication measures for administrative interfaces. Security teams should also monitor for exploitation attempts and implement logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would be categorized under T1190 for exploitation of remote services and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, making it a significant threat vector that requires immediate attention. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software and implementing proper input validation as fundamental security practices in web application development and deployment.