PT-2011-19: SQL injection vulnerability in Help Request System

Vulnerable software

Help Request System
Version 1.1a and earlier

Application link:
http://freehelpdesk.org/

Severity level

Severity level: High
Impact: SQL injection
Access Vector: Remote

CVSS v2:
Base Score: 7.5
Vector: (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P)

CVE: not assigned

Software description

Help Desk Software is a simple powerful Help Desk Software solution.

Vulnerability description

Positive Research Center has discovered an SQL injection vulnerability in Help Request System.
Application incorrectly validates input data. That allows attackers to conduct SQL injection attack.

"SQL Injection" is a way to bypass network protection and attack the database. Settings transferred to the database through web applications are specially crafted to modify executable SQL query, for example, an attacker could execute additional query with the first one by adding different characters.

An attacker can use the vulnerability to obtain access to data which is normally unavailable or obtain system configuration data which can be used for further attacks. For example, modified query may return hashed user passwords which could be decrypted with brute force attack.

How to fix

Update your software up to the latest version

Advisory status

07.07.2011 - Vendor is notified
15.07.2011 - Vendor gets vulnerability details
16.07.2011 - Vendor releases fixed version and details
24.08.2011 - Public disclosure

Credits

The vulnerability was detected by Yuri Goltsev, Positive Research Center (Positive Technologies Company)

References

http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/PT-2011-19

Reports on the vulnerabilities previously discovered by Positive Research:

http://www.ptsecurity.com/advisory1.aspx
http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/

Threatscape