SQL injection vulnerability in login.php in DeltaScripts PHP Classifieds 7.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the admin_username parameter (aka admin field). NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
DeltaScripts PHP Classifieds 7.5 and earlier are vulnerable to a critical SQL injection flaw, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the database. Successful exploitation grants attackers the ability to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to complete system compromise, including data theft and server control. This vulnerability is easily exploitable remotely, posing a significant risk to any organization utilizing the affected software.
Step 1: Payload Delivery: The attacker crafts a malicious SQL injection payload and includes it within the admin_username parameter of a POST request to login.php. This payload is designed to manipulate the SQL query executed by the application.
Step 2: Request Submission: The attacker submits the crafted request to the vulnerable login.php script.
Step 3: Query Execution: The login.php script receives the request and, without proper sanitization, incorporates the attacker-controlled admin_username value directly into an SQL query. For example, the query might look like: SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '$admin_username' AND password = '$admin_password';
Step 4: Payload Interpretation: The database server interprets the malicious SQL payload as part of the query. The attacker's injected SQL code can now alter the query's behavior.
Step 5: Exploitation: Depending on the injected payload, the attacker can achieve various goals, such as bypassing authentication, retrieving sensitive data (usernames, passwords, etc.), modifying data, or even executing commands on the server if the database user has sufficient privileges.
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation of the admin_username parameter within the login.php script. The script directly incorporates user-supplied input into an SQL query without proper sanitization or escaping. This allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code, altering the intended query logic and enabling unauthorized actions. The root cause is a missing or inadequate implementation of parameterized queries or input validation techniques, such as escaping special characters, before the admin_username value is used in the SQL query. This lack of proper input validation allows for the execution of arbitrary SQL commands, leading to data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential server takeover.