CVE-2018-25386: SQL Injection in HaPe PKH 1.1 Admin Interface

Technical summary

The vulnerability exists in admin/media.php where user-supplied input through the 'id' parameter is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries. The injection point affects multiple modules: the desa (village) module is exploitable by unauthenticated users via the hapus (delete) action, while authenticated users can inject SQL through the pengurus (administrators), fasilitas (facilities), and kelompok (groups) modules using various actions including print, editpengurus, editfasilitas, and editkelompok. The lack of parameterized queries or input validation allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and execute arbitrary SQL statements. This maps directly to CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).

Business impact

A successful exploitation allows attackers to exfiltrate sensitive database information including user credentials, database structure, and DBMS version information. For unauthenticated attackers, this lowers the barrier to entry and enables reconnaissance of the application's data layer. Authenticated users exploiting the pengurus, fasilitas, and kelompok modules could access administrative data, user records, or facility information depending on the database schema. The compromise of database metadata can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the organization's data infrastructure.

Affected systems

HaPe PKH version 1.1 is confirmed to be vulnerable. Organizations running this content management or administrative system, particularly those exposing the admin interface to untrusted networks, are at direct risk. The vulnerability affects both unauthenticated and authenticated attack surfaces, making it relevant to any deployment regardless of access controls.

Exploitability

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.2 (HIGH) with a network-based attack vector requiring no authentication or user interaction. The attack complexity is low, meaning a standard SQL injection payload is likely sufficient. The impact is primarily confidentiality-focused (high) with minor integrity concerns. The unauthenticated desa module variant is particularly concerning as it requires no prior system access. An attacker with basic SQL injection knowledge can craft payloads to enumerate databases, extract table structures, or retrieve sensitive records. Public SQL injection techniques and tools are widely available, making this trivially exploitable in practice.

Remediation

Immediate patching is the primary remediation path. Organizations should check with HaPe PKH vendors or maintainers for security updates addressing CVE-2018-25386. If patches are unavailable or delayed, implement parameterized queries (prepared statements) in admin/media.php for all modules and actions mentioned. Validate and sanitize the 'id' parameter using allowlist approaches (accepting only expected integer values, for example). Apply principle of least privilege to database accounts used by the application. Additionally, restrict admin interface access to trusted IP ranges or require multi-factor authentication for administrative sessions.

Patch guidance

Verify availability of security updates from the HaPe PKH vendor or development team. Apply patches to all instances running version 1.1. If vendor patches are unavailable, consider implementing code-level fixes using prepared statements with parameterized queries for the affected admin/media.php file. Test patches thoroughly in a non-production environment before deployment. For organizations unable to patch immediately, apply network-level mitigations such as WAF rules that detect and block common SQL injection patterns in the 'id' parameter.

Detection guidance

Monitor web application logs for suspicious patterns in requests to admin/media.php, particularly those containing SQL syntax characters (single quotes, semicolons, SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, OR) in the 'id' parameter. Implement database query logging to detect anomalous SQL statements executed by the application user account. Network-based detection should flag requests combining module names (desa, pengurus, fasilitas, kelompok) with suspicious parameter values. Endpoint detection and response solutions should alert on database credential exposure or large data transfers from the database server. Regular vulnerability scanning of the admin interface can identify residual exposure.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability merits immediate priority for several reasons: (1) the attack surface includes unauthenticated access paths, removing the need for valid credentials; (2) the CVSS score of 8.2 reflects significant confidentiality impact; (3) SQL injection is a well-understood, trivially exploitable flaw with abundant public tooling; (4) successful exploitation directly compromises database integrity and confidentiality, enabling follow-on attacks. Organizations running HaPe PKH 1.1 should treat this as a critical patching target.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 8.2 (HIGH) reflects a network-accessible vulnerability with low attack complexity and no authentication requirement for the desa module. The high confidentiality impact acknowledges that attackers can extract database contents including metadata and potentially sensitive records. The low integrity impact reflects that while database modification is possible, the primary risk is data exfiltration. Availability is not impacted because the vulnerability does not enable denial-of-service attacks. The overall score emphasizes that this is a serious data breach risk rather than a system disruption risk.

Frequently asked questions