A new SQL injection vulnerability has been discovered in the popular CMS system used by government sites. Our research team has confirmed that this vulnerability affects all versions prior to 4.2.3 and allows attackers to extract sensitive data from the backend database.
Technical Details
The vulnerability exists in the search function where user input is not properly sanitized before being used in SQL queries. By injecting malicious SQL code, an attacker can bypass authentication and access admin privileges.
http://vulnerable-site.com/search.php?q=test'%20UNION%20SELECT%201,username,password,4,5%20FROM%20users%20WHERE%20'1'='1
Proof of Concept
We've developed a simple proof of concept that demonstrates this vulnerability in action. Remember, this information is provided for educational purposes only.
- Identify a vulnerable search form
- Test for SQL injection with a single quote:
test' - If an error occurs, the site may be vulnerable
- Use UNION SELECT statements to extract data from other tables
- Enumerate the database structure
Mitigation
Site administrators should immediately upgrade to version 4.2.3 or implement the following measures:
- Use prepared statements with parameterized queries
- Implement input validation
- Apply the principle of least privilege to database accounts
- Enable WAF rules to block SQL injection attempts
WARNING: This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild. Update your systems immediately!
Our team will continue monitoring this situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
