ResourceSpace 8.6 SQL Injection Vulnerability

ResourceSpace 8.6 is susceptible to a critical SQL injection vulnerability (CVE-2019-25662) that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries. The vulnerability is located within the watched_searches.php endpoint and is triggered through the ‘ref’ parameter in GET requests. By injecting malicious SQL code into this parameter, attackers can bypass authentication and directly interact with the database, potentially extracting sensitive information such as usernames and credentials. This vulnerability poses a significant risk as it does not require any prior authentication, making exploitation straightforward for remote attackers. ResourceSpace is an open-source digital asset management (DAM) system. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to potentially compromise the entire system.

Attack Chain

1. An unauthenticated attacker identifies a ResourceSpace 8.6 instance.
2. The attacker crafts a malicious SQL injection payload designed to extract data or manipulate the database. This payload is injected into the ‘ref’ parameter.
3. The attacker sends a GET request to the /watched_searches.php endpoint with the crafted SQL payload within the ref parameter (e.g., watched_searches.php?ref=SQL_injection_payload).
4. The ResourceSpace application improperly processes the attacker-supplied SQL payload without proper sanitization.
5. The malicious SQL query is executed against the underlying database.
6. The database server processes the query and returns the results to the ResourceSpace application.
7. The ResourceSpace application displays the results, which may include sensitive information like usernames, passwords, or other confidential data.
8. The attacker retrieves the extracted sensitive data from the application’s response.

Impact

Successful exploitation of the SQL injection vulnerability in ResourceSpace 8.6 can lead to the complete compromise of the affected system. Attackers can gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, including user credentials, financial information, and proprietary data. This could lead to financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. Given the nature of digital asset management systems, the compromised data might include valuable intellectual property or personally identifiable information (PII), potentially impacting a large number of individuals.

Recommendation

• Apply available patches or upgrade to a secure version of ResourceSpace to remediate CVE-2019-25662.
• Deploy the Sigma rule Detect ResourceSpace SQL Injection Attempt to monitor for exploitation attempts against the /watched_searches.php endpoint.
• Implement input validation and sanitization on the ‘ref’ parameter within the watched_searches.php endpoint to prevent SQL injection.
• Enable web server logging and monitor for suspicious GET requests to watched_searches.php containing unusual characters or SQL keywords.