CVE-2018-25175: Alienor Web Libre SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2018-25175 Overview

Alienor Web Libre 2.0 contains an SQL injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries by injecting malicious code through the identifiant parameter. Attackers can submit crafted POST requests to index.php with SQL injection payloads in the identifiant field to extract sensitive database information including usernames, databases, and version details.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive database information and potentially compromise the entire database through SQL injection attacks targeting the identifiant parameter.

Affected Products

• Alienor Web Libre 2.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-06 - CVE CVE-2018-25175 published to NVD
• 2026-03-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25175

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) affects the Alienor Web Libre 2.0 web application. The vulnerability exists due to improper input validation in the authentication mechanism, specifically within the identifiant parameter handling. When users submit login credentials through the index.php endpoint, the application fails to properly sanitize or parameterize the identifiant field before incorporating it into SQL queries.

The network-accessible attack surface allows remote attackers to exploit this vulnerability without any prior authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation enables attackers to extract sensitive information from the backend database, including user credentials, database structure, and version information. The high confidentiality impact means attackers can access all data stored in the database, while the low integrity impact suggests limited ability to modify data through this specific injection point.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input in SQL query construction. The index.php script directly incorporates the identifiant POST parameter into database queries without proper escaping, parameterized queries, or prepared statements. This classic SQL injection pattern allows attackers to break out of the intended query structure and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no authentication. An attacker can craft a malicious POST request to the index.php endpoint containing SQL injection payloads in the identifiant field. The payload can include techniques such as UNION-based injection, boolean-based blind injection, or time-based blind injection to extract database contents. The simplicity of the attack (no special privileges, no user interaction required) makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous for internet-facing installations.

Technical details regarding the exploitation mechanism can be found in the Exploit-DB #45827 reference and the VulnCheck Advisory on Alienor SQL Injection.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25175

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual POST requests to index.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords in the identifiant parameter
• Database error messages appearing in web server logs or HTTP responses indicating SQL syntax errors
• Anomalous database queries attempting to access system tables or using UNION statements
• Evidence of data exfiltration attempts in database query logs, particularly queries targeting user credentials or system metadata

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common SQL injection patterns in the identifiant parameter
• Implement intrusion detection system (IDS) signatures to identify SQL injection attempts targeting the index.php endpoint
• Monitor database query logs for unusual query patterns, including UNION-based queries, time-based delays, or queries accessing metadata tables
• Enable detailed web server logging and analyze POST request bodies for SQL injection indicators

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure real-time alerting for SQL injection patterns detected by WAF or IDS systems
• Implement database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized data access attempts
• Review web application logs regularly for patterns indicating reconnaissance or exploitation attempts
• Monitor for unusual database load or query execution times that may indicate time-based blind SQL injection attacks

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25175

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the Alienor Web Libre 2.0 application to trusted networks only using firewall rules or access control lists
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules in front of the vulnerable application
• Consider taking the application offline if it is not business-critical until proper remediation can be implemented
• Review database logs for evidence of prior exploitation and assess potential data exposure

Patch Information

No vendor patch information is currently available for this vulnerability. The VulnCheck Advisory provides additional details about the vulnerability status. Organizations using Alienor Web Libre 2.0 should consider migrating to an alternative solution or implementing compensating controls.

Workarounds

• Implement a web application firewall (WAF) to filter SQL injection payloads before they reach the application
• Use network segmentation to restrict access to the application from untrusted networks
• If source code access is available, manually implement input validation and parameterized queries for the identifiant parameter
• Monitor and limit database user privileges to minimize the impact of successful SQL injection attacks

# Example WAF rule configuration for ModSecurity
# Block SQL injection attempts in identifiant parameter
SecRule ARGS:identifiant "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt blocked in identifiant parameter',\
    log,\
    auditlog"