SQL Injection in Joomla VMap Component

Executive Summary

CVE-2019-25753 is an SQL injection vulnerability found in the Joomla! Component VMap version 1.9.6. It allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries by injecting malicious code into the 'latlngbound' parameter. Attackers exploit this by sending specially crafted GET requests to the 'index.php' file with parameters 'option=com_vmap' and 'task=loadmarker' containing SQL injection payloads. This manipulation enables attackers to interfere with database queries and potentially extract sensitive information.

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Compliance Impact

The vulnerability in Joomla! Component VMap 1.9.6 allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries and extract sensitive information from the database. This unauthorized access to sensitive data could potentially lead to non-compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA, which require safeguarding personal and sensitive information against unauthorized access and breaches.

Organizations using the vulnerable component may face risks related to data confidentiality and integrity, which are critical aspects of compliance with these standards. Failure to address this vulnerability could result in exposure of personal data, leading to legal and regulatory consequences.

Mitigation involves updating the extension to a patched version or removing it if no update is available, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches and helping maintain compliance with relevant regulations.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can have serious impacts including unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the database. Attackers can manipulate database queries, potentially extracting confidential information or altering data. Because the vulnerability can be exploited without authentication, it poses a high risk to affected Joomla! sites using the VMap extension. It may also allow attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the Joomla environment, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the system.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring for suspicious HTTP GET requests targeting the Joomla! VMap component, specifically requests to index.php with parameters option=com_vmap and task=loadmarker containing unusual or malicious input in the latlngbound parameter.

A practical detection method is to analyze web server logs for such GET requests that include SQL injection payloads in the latlngbound parameter.

For example, you can use the following command to search Apache or Nginx access logs for suspicious requests:

• grep -i 'option=com_vmap&task=loadmarker' /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep 'latlngbound='

Additionally, using web application firewalls (WAF) or intrusion detection systems (IDS) with rules to detect SQL injection attempts targeting this parameter can help identify exploitation attempts.

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Mitigation Strategies

The immediate mitigation step is to update the Joomla! VMap extension to the latest patched version that addresses this SQL injection vulnerability.

If an update is not available, consider removing or disabling the VMap extension to prevent exploitation.

Additionally, restrict access to the vulnerable component by implementing web application firewall rules or other filtering mechanisms to block malicious requests targeting the latlngbound parameter.

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