CVE-2017-20280 Overview
CVE-2017-20280 is an SQL injection vulnerability in the Joomla Myportfolio component version 3.0.2. The flaw resides in the handling of the pid parameter on the index.php endpoint when task=project&view=grid is requested. Unauthenticated attackers can inject SQL syntax through this parameter to manipulate backend database queries. Successful exploitation allows extraction of arbitrary database contents, including administrator credentials and other sensitive records. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command).
Critical Impact
Remote unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive database contents from affected Joomla installations through a single crafted GET request.
Affected Products
- Joomla Component Myportfolio 3.0.2
- Joomla installations using the vulnerable Myportfolio extension
- Web applications exposing the task=project&view=grid endpoint with the affected component
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-19 - CVE-2017-20280 published to NVD
- 2026-06-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2017-20280
Vulnerability Analysis
The Myportfolio component fails to sanitize the pid query parameter before incorporating it into an SQL statement. When a client requests index.php?option=com_myportfolio&task=project&view=grid&pid=<payload>, the component concatenates the supplied value directly into the underlying database query. This allows an attacker to break out of the intended numeric context and append arbitrary SQL clauses such as UNION SELECT statements. The result is full read access to any table accessible by the Joomla database user, including the #__users table that stores hashed credentials.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of input validation and parameterized queries within the Myportfolio component code path that handles project listing requests. The pid parameter is treated as trusted input and inserted into a raw SQL string. This is a textbook CWE-89 defect where developer-supplied query construction bypasses the Joomla database abstraction layer's prepared statement support.
Attack Vector
The attack is delivered over the network using a single HTTP GET request. No authentication, user interaction, or special privileges are required. An attacker only needs to identify a Joomla site running Myportfolio 3.0.2 and issue requests against index.php with a malicious pid value. Public exploit code is available through Exploit-DB #41930 and the VulnCheck Advisory on Joomla SQL Injection, demonstrating UNION-based extraction techniques against the parameter.
Detection Methods for CVE-2017-20280
Indicators of Compromise
- GET requests to index.php containing option=com_myportfolio, task=project, and view=grid with non-numeric pid values.
- Request URIs containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, CONCAT, INFORMATION_SCHEMA, or URL-encoded equivalents within the pid parameter.
- Database error messages or HTTP 500 responses correlating with requests to the Myportfolio endpoint.
- Anomalous outbound data volumes from the web server following requests to the vulnerable endpoint.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for pid parameter values that contain quotes, comments (--, #), or SQL syntax.
- Deploy WAF signatures targeting SQL injection patterns specifically scoped to the com_myportfolio component.
- Correlate consecutive requests from the same source that iterate pid values with increasing payload complexity.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose query logging on the Joomla database to capture queries containing unexpected UNION or schema-enumeration patterns.
- Monitor authentication tables for unusual read access patterns from the web application user.
- Alert on web server responses returning unusually large payloads from the Myportfolio endpoint.
How to Mitigate CVE-2017-20280
Immediate Actions Required
- Disable or uninstall the Myportfolio 3.0.2 component until a patched release is verified.
- Restrict access to the index.php?option=com_myportfolio endpoint at the web server or WAF layer.
- Rotate Joomla administrator credentials and database user passwords if exploitation is suspected.
- Audit the Joomla #__users table and session store for unauthorized accounts or active sessions.
Patch Information
No vendor patch information is referenced in the available advisories. Administrators should consult the extension maintainer directly and review the VulnCheck Advisory on Joomla SQL Injection for the most current remediation guidance. If no fixed version is available, removal of the component is the recommended path.
Workarounds
- Place a WAF rule that rejects requests to the Myportfolio endpoint when the pid parameter is non-numeric.
- Apply input filtering at a reverse proxy to strip SQL metacharacters from query strings reaching Joomla.
- Restrict the Joomla database user to least-privilege permissions, removing access to tables not required by the application.
- Place the affected site behind authentication or IP allow-listing while remediation is in progress.
# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking non-numeric pid values to the vulnerable endpoint
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains option=com_myportfolio" \
"chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1020280,msg:'CVE-2017-20280 Myportfolio SQLi attempt'"
SecRule ARGS:pid "!@rx ^[0-9]+$" "t:none"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
